...A Dog's Life in the City of Minneapolis, MN & now... Austin, TX

September 5, 2008

Off Day

I don't feel so good this morning. Not sure why but I decided to not eat my breakfast (YET!) and let's just say going to the bathroom was more of a production than it normally is. I probably ate something on our walk or run yesterday (there are always interesting things to eat out on the street on in people's yards) that made my stomach upset.

Last night Melissa slept over. She is a human. She didn't want to stay in her house because a dead rat is smelling up her house. I kinda understand her, as I hate to hear things in the wall, but on the other hand, the smell might be really interesting to me! I love smells that humans don't seem to like - like a rotting squirrel in the road that got run over.

September 3, 2008

Bed Hopping

Since my sitters let me on the bed (Heidi, cool girl), sometimes I think I can go on the bed in my house. And sometimes Joan lets me, like when she was sick! So then I think I can go up on the beds, but truly Joan doesn't want me up on them because I shed brown fur on them. So when she leaves the house, she now closes her bedroom door so I cannot go in there.

Well, she doesn't close the other "extra" bedroom door. So, I've been sneaking up on the bed in there and Joan hasn't seemed to notice. However .... this morning, she saw that some papers that she had on the bed were on the ground ... and she suspected ... and looked close and saw, what?, but DOG FUR. I can't imagine whose fur that is!!!

Yep, she kinda looked at me and explained to me that I cannot go up there and that I leave evidence of everywhere I go....

May 6, 2008

CONE!

Joan put that cone back on me last night. She took off my collar and gave me some great petting around my neck. mmm, that felt good. But THEN I saw her pull out the cone. No way! I got up and went to the other side of the room. No way!

But it happened. She put it back on me. She was talking on the phone and saying that I have a sore on my nose again - some of it is healing but there's this one spot that I guess is a sore and then it was getting bigger everyday.

May 5, 2008

Creatures freak me out

Well, this morning something odd happened that drove me pitter pattering into Joan's bedroom with great fear. There was a creature - great or small I don't know - in the house. Luckily for me and Joan it was not IN the house but IN the WALLS of the house. It was still dark out and I heard it. FREEZE! I scampered into Joan's room with great fear. I was whining and looking at her like "Let me up on that bed with you this minute! I'm afraid!" I'm embarrassed to even admit my fear, but dogs can't always be courageous.

She didn't let me up on the bed though she looked, first, a little confused and sleepy, and then second, very intent on listening. She closed the closet door (hopefully in case the animal somehow made it through the wall, she didn't want to greet it). Then she got up and went into the bathroom and listened to claws clawing at the bathtub and wall. Sometimes it sounded like a snake slithering. Other times, it sounded like a huge clawed animal.

Then Joan got the long stick that has a light on the end from under the sink and put her sandals on and went out the front door in her pajamas, and she made me stay inside. She was out there for maybe 3 minutes and then returned. Then she went back into the bathroom and was shining the light on the end of the stick out the window.

Then she let me outside finally to pee and then gave me my breakfast. Then she got back into her bed with that light on the end of the stick with her but not me. She kept the light on in the hallway and I stayed in the living room. I don't want to be near any strange animal except myself!

May 2, 2008

Life is good again

Life is great now that I don't have my cone on. I'm glad to be rid of that thing! Joan still sprays my nose with stuff that makes my tongue instantly go into licking action. She says i still need fur on my nose but at least it is not a bloody mess. It never bothered me much beyond itching but I guess it looked really bad.

Lately I've been hanging out on Joan's bed or the extra bed while Joan is gone. This is cool cuz I can lounge really really comfortable (why do the humans get better comfyness than we do?) while also looking out the window to check on squirrels and such. As you might imagine, I got caught almost the first day I tried this.

Joan came home and oops, I was so comfortably asleep that I didn't hear her bike roll up, so when she opened the door, it took me a really long time to get out there to greet her. I guess this tipped her off and she was walking around and then was in the bedroom and noticed not only fur on the bed but I had been licking my foot (allergies bothering me again) and in the process of that, I had slobbered all over the sheets and pillow so it was kinda wet. (oops) Damn, why do I always give my sneakiness away through slobber or relocation of shoes etc.?! Joan was kinda mifted cuz she had to change her sheets and remake the bed which she had just done a few days before.

Guess what? She closes the door to the bedroom now. But once she forgot, and I took full advantage again! And yesterday she only closed the door to her room, so I went on the bed in the extra bedroom. Ha! She noticed again because I left my fur there and again, it took me a long time to greet her. That time during her investigation, she pointed at the bed so I just jumped up on it. OHHHHHH, that was not right! I got some reprimanding!

Of course, Joan knows this is all her doing because sometimes she is really lazy in the morning and to quell my cries to go out for a walk, she'll invite me up on the bed instead which makes me happy. BUT it makes me, logically!, think that it is okay to go on the bed.

April 25, 2008

Cone Off Cone Off Cone Off Cone Off

Yesterday, Joan took my cone off and not only that, she took me for at least a 4 mile run where I got to go swimming. I cannot tell you how HAPPY I WAS!!!!!!!!

Then we got back home and she decided to put me out front and wash me. I didn't like that too much, but she really massaged my neck and back and ears, so that was nice. Now I smell clean and she didn't put my collar back on the entire night. I was free, free, free, free!

My nose is looking great and so far, I'm not scratching or rubbing it. If I keep that up, I think i'm done with that cone. FOREVER I hope.

April 20, 2008

Sleeping with the cone

Joan caught me sleeping and took a picture of me since she thinks I look funny. Do you? I'm just sleeping.

Joan can't wait for me to get better and get rid of the cone cuz sometimes I run into her legs and she gets mmmmaaaaaaaddddddd. I guess it hurts her a bit. I can't help it when there's something I need to quickly attend to like a squirrel or a drink of water or escaping from the house. I just gotta go and too bad for anyone or thing in the way. And that is kinda also the reason why Joan thinks we might even have to retire this cone cuz I've battered it up quite a bit through my antics.

She says I also have wring around the collar .... cuz I guess I'm kinda dirty and now there is brown layer on the inside of the cone where it rubs along my fur.

The good news is that my nose IS healing and she's hoping that within another week I'll get out of it. She did let me out for just enough time to thoroughly clean my ears the other night and then I started to paw at my nose and guess what? The cone went back on.

I'm also quite the looker in the neighborhood. People smile at me and they also chat with us to find out what happened and why I have a cone on. Kids, though, laugh at me a lot!

April 14, 2008

Got this thing down.

I have totally figured out this cone thing. I'm totally fine with it. Joan doesn't take it off anymore for walks - I guess cuz I was always trying to rub my nose on her leg and that's not allowed. So now I'm walking around the neighborhood with this cone on! I get all sorts of comments. Lots of people smile. One person told me that her dog wouldn't allow it. Another man stopped to tell us another way to do it (using a sock) but then he looked at my bloody nose and realized the problem was my nose, not me licking or biting another part of my body. It was a nice idea ....

Lee said I look like the "Dog from Outerspace." Also a floating head and other not very supportive names and comments! Come on!

I've found that Joan will do a few things for me. For example, I tried to scratch my ear, but instead I just made a lot of racket with my nails scratching the plastic. So Joan came over and scratched my ears for me. She's so great! Then another time I even got her to rub my butt for me. I tried to lick my butt but you know it didn't work with this cone on. Joan saw and she took a paper towel and rubbed my butt for me! Wow, isn't that nice. I know a lot of people wouldn't do that for a dog!

They think the wound is starting to heal - at least it is scabbing. But it could be a while - it is slow. Plus, they realized I've had this since at least March 26 so it's already been a lonnnnnggggg time with it on my nose.

One thing I haven't tried yet is swimming with my cone on. That should be interesting. I still occasionally bump into some things out on walks but I'm totally good at home. Except when I get really excited and bang my cone into Joan's legs. She's not so happy about that.

April 12, 2008

Regal Dog, Here I am!

Well, all those threats have come to pass. Yesterday, Joan got a phone call and the next thing I knew we were in the car. Dog park? No. Vet? Yes. She opened the door at the vet (I know where we are when we are there, now), and I didn't immediately get out. I thought I'd just stay in the car for a change. Joan had to call me out. Geez. Didn't work. I started shaking and did not want to go in. Worse, when we went in, the guy tried to put this e-collar on me (elizabethan collar, thus, my regalness). Instead, Joan took the collar and some new medicine and we got back in the car. I was thinking, okay so maybe I won't have to wear that.

And I didn't for a while. Joan left the house for several hours and, however, when she returned she put the e-collar on me! It is ghastly. It is hard and when I knock into things, it makes a loud noise that I do not like. Plus, I can't see anything. I have to turn my head all the way around all the time to what's going on.

But it was kinda late and we needed to go to bed.

Joan let me sleep on her bed, though, which was very thoughtful of her. I was knocking into the walls and doors, so she helped me up on the bed cuz she (and I) thought I might catch the collar on the bedcovers and knock myself back down. I was panting a lot cuz this thing is WEIRD and STRANGE. I moved around a lot on the bed the whole night, which I don't think made Joan all that happy but I had to get comfortable. I did manage to sleep a bit and wasn't too ornery to Joan except that she had to sleep around me.

I guess this all happened cuz I would use my paws to rub my nose/snout and then the scabs would come off and bleed and essentially not it heal. Plus, the vet gave Joan a spray to put on my nose, too, and it will only help if it doesn't get rubbed off!

This morning, I wouldn't go to the bathroom outside and just stood around even though Joan went out there with me and told me to go. And then she gave me my breakfast but I didn't want to eat that either cuz the collar would bump the floor or something else. So, Joan took off my collar and I ate my food quickly, shook my ear a lot (she cleaned my ear too), and then we went for a long walk sans collar (yeah!!!! jump for joy!!!!) though I could tell she wasn't gonna let me roll around in the grass or do anything else with my nose except sniff.

Now, I'm back home and the collar is back on again. However, I'm proud to say that I'm gonna master this thing. I already learned how to walk through the house without bumping the doors, even when I'm walking right beside Joan. And I learned how to walk down the porch steps without bumping it. And I'm enjoying the sun and yard again - though not exactly super relaxed.

But of course, this thing isn't gonna kill me and who knows, maybe my nose infection would! So we gotta get rid of it and soon!

March 17, 2008

Swimming in the pool

At Heidi's house they have a big pool in the back. So far, I didn't go in it. But then all the humans went into the small pool that has lots of water blowing in it and it is really loud. As much as I'd like to go in there, I decided I'd try the pool, so I stepped down on the first step into the pool. Oh, the water felt great! I didn't want to go any further, so I decided to just sit and roll around on the first step to get all nice and wet. I mean, the humans were all wet, so couldn't I do it, too?

March 2, 2008

THE CHAIR

Since we've moved to Texas, I decided to take over a different chair - the orange chair that Joan bought for $1 from a neighbor.

In this house, the orange chair is right next to the window that looks out the front of the house. In our house in Mpls, the orange chair was not near a window, so I did not sit on it. I sat on the leather chairs which were by the window - unless Joan put obstacles on them. (she's so sneaky)

Anyway, one day Joan realized that my fur was on the chair and then she felt it and it was warm so she knew I had been sitting there. Instead of try to fight me on it, and I guess maybe cuz it was only $1, she threw a Mexican blanket over it and said, "Go ahead, Bosco." So now when Joan leaves to go to work, I watch her go and then sit in my chair, watching the neighborhood. If someone comes near the house, I start barking at them through the window and alert Joan or scare them off! At night, I usually start the night on one of my beds on the floor, but by morning, I'm up in the chair. I like it cuz I can curl up with the sides all right next to me, so it is really comfy.

November 27, 2007

Away from my computer

I have not forgotten all of my virtual friends (and real friends) who read my blog. I've been busy away from the computer with visitors, running around in forests, sniffing lots of stuff in the kitchen, more visitors etc. I will update you all soon. Right now I'm dealing with another new visitor who showed up at my house while I was here all alone ... I kinda remember her but it's been a long time. I had to hide behind the dining room table for a while but after she let me out and gave me a treat, I decided she was an okay person.

November 9, 2007

Going, NOT.

Last night Joan pulled out the bag that she always uses when I get to go on a trip with her or to someone else's house. It is a bag with straps and she usually puts things like my bowls and food in it, and then I get excited because a trip is involved.

Last night she had the bag out so I started to get really excited. We're going somewhere?! I even observed her putting computers and other techy stuff in the bag, but STILL I thought she was just bringing an extra computer for me. ha! wouldn't that be nice.

But then she went out the door with the bag of techy stuff and left me inside. NOT FAIR, I say. I always get to go somewhere when that bag emerges from the cupboard. It is curious. When she got home, she did not have the bag, which is even more curious.

October 25, 2007

Crap

Okay, I think we need to take that literally and not figuratively. I probably did eat some crap and got some nasty bug in my stomach. Joan thought I was better because on our afternoon walk, I did not even go to the bathroom. Then she left to teach her class ... and was gone and gone and gone. Well, it was only 8 hours but to a canine with stomach problems, that is too long (I know, she didn't know). Well, I felt bad but I really had to go and go I did. I went in the kitchen and the dining room (the farthest away from my sleeping areas!

Joan got home and I was really happy to see her - I don't think she was so happy herself but she did not get mad at me or anything. I was a bit ashamed. She just looked concerned. She didn't right away take me for a walk but she cleaned up my mess, started a load of laundry for the kitchen rugs, and then washed the floors with smelly stuff (smells better than it did before, though!). She opened the window, too! I was happy she cleaned it all up because even though I did it, I HATED it.

Then we went on a walk around 11:15 PM and we saw the nice Australian Shepherd (with his human) and I wanted to play but it was late. We greeted each other and then went on our separate ways.

Joan was up really late on the computer doing some "work" so she let me out a few times, but I had to wake Joan up around 5:30 - so I was making about 3.5 hours between bathroom needs. I think we are going to the VET today.

I also have 3 out of 4 paws red and raw from allergies. This is ridiculous! I hope I get lots of drugs to get me back into good shape.

October 11, 2007

The Bump

Any other dogs like the bump? You know what I'm talking about ... when you take your head or snout and put it under your human's arm (especially when they are working on a computer) and then push up, bumping their arm up? It is so cool and works everytime for me. I usually start bumping around 3:30 because I'm getting ready for my afternoon walk and I like to start reminding her of it around 3:30 - in case she might forget about it (though she has never forgotten - probably b/c I bump her).

Humans don't seem to really like the bump, though. Joan usually has her hand on something called a mouse or she's typing and then my bump messes up whatever she's doing. Ha! That's the point: do what I want and I'll leave you in peace. She doesn't like it. And doesn't buy it. She tells me to "go lie down on your bed" and then I gotta go lie down for a while UNTIL I bump again. hee hee.

Don't get a bad bladder

Well, I do not recommend getting this bladder problem. I told you how I peed in the vet's house. I felt bad but I couldn't control myself. Then we got home and lucky for me, Joan stayed home with me. She let me in and out of the house over and over again all day. I'd go outside and literally squat for 10 seconds, then get up and then squat again, and over and over. I had to pee all the time (or at least I felt that way).

Joan said walking me was not very pleasant because it was mostly like: walk, walk, walk, squat ----, walk, walk, walk, squat ----------. over and over again. I think you get it.

On Monday night I could only last about 2.5 hours so I woke Joan up at 3am to let me out. She did!! Actually, she kinda jumped out of her bed when she heard me whining next to the bed. After that I made it until 7am. And she did leave me in the morning but came back within 3 hours so we were safe again. I'm definitely getting better - Joan left me for almost 7 hours yesterday and I was fine. And I'm not squatting as much on walks. These big wads of peanut butter that Joan gives me are good, I'll say. I love peanut butter. YYYYUUUUUUMMMMMMMM.

October 8, 2007

Pee Emergency

This morning I had to wake Joan up really early. I put my paws up on her bed and whined. It was still dark out but I really REALLY had to go. Joan got up and, bleary-eyed as she was, let me out. I took care of business and came back in. I knew I was gonna need to go again soon but Joan didn't look like she was going to take me on a walk. Instead, she went back to her bed!

So a couple hours later (I tried to let her sleep), I barked and told Joan to let me out again! Just to get her moving, I also threw up the grass I ate yesterday when we played ball at the school field nearby. (I played ball and ate grass.) Of course, I peed some more outside. Then we went running but I just kept having to pee so I'd squat, squat, squat. At least 50 times, Joan thinks. I don't know I wasn't counting. Maybe it was more like 30 times. But more than usual, that is for sure! I got the sense Joan started to figure out that I had a pee emergency going on!

After she showered, I let her know again that I had to go out. I was standing there at the bathroom door, waiting. Again, this is not usual. Usually, I'm relaxing on my bed or on the floor, napping. I got to go out some more and then she had my leash and we got in the car. I love the car! Dog park?!

No dog park, instead an office with women at the front. They took Joan's papers and I was a little nervous. Then we sat down and another lady came over and dropped treats on the ground. I was worried about eating them. Then she bent down and gave me a few - that was better. Joan was doing stuff so I just laid on the ground. A bit later, Joan put me on this mat and said I was 54.5 lbs.

We went into the back with the nice lady who gave me treats. She gave me more while we were in a small room. Then this guy came in and he and the nice lady held me while someone put something in my butt! Not okay. Then he said something like 101 degrees. Then they both left, and I felt a lot better. Joan had me jump up onto a big desk in the middle of the room. That was cool. And when the lady returned, she was surprised to see me up there but was really happy about it, and was petting me. Joan was also petting me and then another woman came in and she started petting me and giving me a tummy massage while I was standing up. What heaven ... well, temporary.

Then, the two women took me away from Joan and put a needle in me - that was not fun. But then they gave me back to Joan in the room. At this point, it had been a LONG time and I'm talking more than 30 mins and I really had to go so I just went right there in the room. I know I'm not supposed to go and never do, but I just can't handle this peeing feeling. And, then I went again! After that, Joan took me outside and I just kept squatting over and over on the grass trying to go and going a little bit.

We went back to the room and both ladies came back in and one told Joan I have a bladder infection. That's what Joan thought cuz I had that last year once. Same thing- gotta squat constantly. Now I have to take really big peanut butter pills and at least for today I gotta go outside a LOT - I'm talking every 20 mins or so. Luckily we have wireless in our backyard so I can tell ya all about this.

October 2, 2007

Hiding Out

Joan says that I'm acting weird. Really what I'm doing is just finding a good, secret place to go lick my foot a lot without Joan seeing! (I'm so sneaky!) I went into the dark bedroom which is really weird cuz usually I want to hang out with Joan at all times. I also spent sometime outside in the dark (well, there is a light out there) on the deck in the backyard. Joan kept checking of me to see that I was okay.

Then instead of giving me my treat like normal, Joan gave me just one and then:

she looked at my feet and sprayed two of them with that stuff she is constantly spraying on them,
she put cold wet stuff in my ear and cleaned it out with a papertowel,
she put more stuff in my ear and pushed it in.

then... she gave me another treat.

She says I must be allergic to ragweed or a million other things.

Last night I was also acting weirdly, and I got to go up on Joan's bed. But then after she couldn't sleep and I was making all sorts of sounds and pushed my leg into Joan's stomach and back etc. etc., she told me to get off the bed. I did. FINE. I went out into the living room and started licking my foot - then she yelled at me to stop licking from the other room. I did. for a while. It is really itchy!

BTW, my irritated foot is not the same one I wrote about when I first got here to Austin. That one got better, then another one got bad, then that one got better, then Joan ran out of pink pills (which she gives me 2 of per day now!) for a couple days, and then my ears and foot got bad again!

It's tough having allergies. Joan doesn't have any so she doesn't really understand. Though she seems sympathetic.

September 24, 2007

Treats are back! & the 5th Austin dog park ...

Last night Joan came home with bags of food. And she also had one special bag for me - she opened it and gave me what? TREATS!!!!!!! She actually only gave me one. But later, at night, she made me sit and down and I got a treat. Then she made me sit and wait and she walked across the room, then she squeaked one of my toys and threw it towards me ... I moved. She said, uh uh, and made me sit and wait again and squeaked my toy and rolled it towards me. This time I didn't dare move. I looked at the ball but sat still. Then she said, COME, and I went over to her and sat down facing her. She made me give her my paw and then she gave me another treat.

BTW, we also went to the 5th Austin dog park yesterday! It is Walnut Creek and now, we're talking a rival to Minnehaha dog park - well, except no huge Mississippi River. (I think we can honestly say that there is probably no dog park that has fresh water like the Mississippi River!). At this dog park, we walked for an hour and Joan said we didn't even make a dent in all the trails we can take. There was a creek and i got to fetch sticks for Joan there. There was a small cranky dog that came after me, barking, a couple times and I got really stiff and watched him carefully and then walked away.

The only thing that is different is on these trails you have to watch out for two things:
1. bikers - there are a lot people riding mountain bikes here (Joan has some idea that she'll bring her bike and ride while I run after her!)
2. there's a plant called a cactus that I learned is not that great. It pokes you even if you have really callused toes and paws like I do.

September 22, 2007

No treats for me

I usually always get several treats before bed. Joan makes me do things like: sit, paw, other paw, down, wait, come, down. And I get TREATS!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, for the last week or so, no treats! After I go outside for my nightime bathroom business, I have come in and I sit down immediately in the kitchen awaiting my treats. But none. One night Joan gave me a big bone to chew on but that wasn't the same. I like to play with those for a few days before eating it (I had a good time doing that but, still, the immediate treat was never had.)

I'm hoping that I start to get treats again soon. I deserve them, I'm sure you know.

The crazy next-door dog, Luna, is out barking her head off and trying to dig her way into our yard. Joan brought me inside but I can hear her now barking at the kitty-corner neighbor dogs (behind us ... who I like) but I guess Luna doesn't. I only see the big black fluffy dog, Bear, outside right now.

August 26, 2007

Joan's priorities

Today Joan left me all day again. I really think she should be here all the time - I think that is fair since she did leave me for 37 days this summer. You know??! But still she decides to take off. She went into the garage and got all this stuff including that big metal ladder and put it in her car and I did get in the car but there was no place for me since the back seat was down and the ladder was there. And, even if there was space, she made me get out. I wanted to go on a ride - or at least not be left alone. But she did.

She came home a little bit ago and it seems she was painting because she cleaned the paint brushes BEFORE we went for a walk. I had to wait, wait, wait. I don't get her - we finally are in a house where she doesn't need to do any improvements (read: more time to take me for walks ... we have only been to 2 of the 12 dog parks, right? we have work to do). But she decided to spend her energies painting her office at work. She seems to think it looks great - fine but what about my walk? and no trips to the cool Red Bud dog park - which is an island - that some guy told us about. I want to go there soon! I have a feeling it might even be better, if you can fathom it, than the Minnehaha Mississippi River dog park. We'll see - it would be an incredible feat if it was!

August 21, 2007

Where is joan?

Joan woke up kinda crazy this morning and took me for a very short walk. Then she got dressed really fast and then left. She fed me, but I was a little worried so I didn't eat. And then she was gone for 8 HOURS. Geez. I haven't been left for that long for a LONG time. I was super worried - will she return? - that I didn't eat any of my food. Then I felt sick and then I vomited in the kitchen because I felt so sick.

Then Joan returned! I should have known she would. She was really hot and immediately took off her clothes, saying out loud that she'd never wear pants again for a long time. She did put different clothes on and then we went for a walk. But before we left, I ate all my food. That easy - I just needed Joan to show up again.

August 18, 2007

New life in Austin TX

Well, Joan and I are now in a place called Austin, TX. While I miss my Mississippi River, there is also a river here - actually lots of them. I've been in one called Bull Creek - where there were lots and lots of other dog friends! We stayed with my dog cousins for several days - I actually thought that was where we were going - actually I thought we were just on a trip and we'd go home again to Minneapolis after a while, like what happened last summer.

But one day Joan took me in the car and we went to a new, different house and in it was all of our stuff! All the stuff that those people packed and took away last week. It was SOOOOO weird. My bed was there and my futon bed that I haven't seen since our house went up for sale. The coolest, best thing is that this house does not have that horrible place called a "basement" so I don't have to worry AT ALL about getting stuck down there like my former owners did to me. Joan never made me go down there (she's so nice) but I was always wary of it.

We stayed in our house on Saturday night but Joan was uncomfortable - I guess this thing called "central air" was not working well. She was really hot! So on Sunday we went back to Maura's house and to my dog cousins. On Monday, Joan was gone for a long, long time and returned late that night. She picked me up and we went out to the car. She put some of her plants in the car with us, so I figured we were going back to the place where all our stuff was. Well, it was a quick drive over (10 min) but something very surprising happened on the drive. All of a sudden, Joan said, "Oh my god" and she was looking in her lap and then she screeched, braking really hard and turning - I almost ended up in the front seat! Not very conscientious of my safety. She stopped and opened the door and then she moved her leg and swooped something off the seat. This thing ended up on the door's pocket area and then I saw it - a very large FROG. It was about 2.5" across in diameter - very big. Then Joan pushed it off the door and onto the ground, and we drove away. I think the frog was hiding in the plants! I'm glad it didn't jump on me - who knows what might have happened.

Joan has been home most of this week unpacking. I've been sleeping or walking around or sitting in the backyard. Here's a pic of me in the very messy living room while Joan was working on unpacking.

We've been walking around the neighborhood a lot. Lots of good, new smells. And lots of grass for me to roll around on. I like to do that. However, I get pretty tired pretty quick. It is HOT and HUMID here. Since Joan (well, I) broke my gulpy cup, I'm kinda thirsty. But I convinced Joan to order 2 more gulpy cups so we always have one around for walks or runs.

Yesterday, Joan and I went out for a short walk. In the middle of it - it started pouring rain. I'm not kidding - pouring. Joan and I stood under a big tree in the street for a while and we were not getting much rain but it just kept coming down. So then we started back to the house running. Joan was soaking wet! So was I but I didn't care. Actually Joan didn't care either. It was fun! Here are some pics of me after we got to the porch.

August 16, 2007

What's not right?

I've been missing Mpls so I grabbed Joan's computer and was browsing the news when I came upon yet another "child gets killed by pit bull" story. Granted it is just horrific that a child would die from one of my fellow canines, but the story clearly points out the problem. Just in case you are a little slow on the draw, I'll show you what's not right with this picture ... the humans involved!

From Kare11.com

"Boy killed by pit bull in Minneapolis

Minneapolis Police are investigating a deadly pit-bull attack on the city's north side Thursday.

Spokesperson Lieutenant Amelia Huffman says the 7-year-old boy was attacked and at a home on the 3000 block of Humboldt Avenue North just after 1 p.m.

Early reports say that the male dog, one of two adult pit bulls in the home, was chained in the basement of the home when the attack happened.

It is not known what triggered the attack, but the boy's grandfather said it was common for the child to play with the dog. He said he warned his grandson to stay away from the animal - and told his son that he thought the dogs were not safe to have in a home.

The boy's father suffered bite wounds to his arm while trying to stop the attack. He eventually shot and killed the dog.

The other adult pit bull was a female, there was also a litter of five puppies in the home."

DO NOT:
Chain your dogs

DO:
Neuter or spay your dogs

By the way, Joan says that Austin city is really cool in regards to that latter point. It costs $5 to license me with the city of Austin FOR MY ENTIRE LIFETIME - as long as I'm spayed! For dogs not fixed, well, their humans have to pay $20 annually. Minneapolis needs to get on that very strong incentive program. Of course, there are also all the people who don't even license their dogs, so ... anyway.

August 2, 2007

Missing bosco

So I have to admit I miss that black Bosco I hung out with for several weeks. I've been kinda sad and distant, staring off into the distant backyard, kinda bored, too. Today though was exciting in a different way. 3 people came over and started putting all of Joan's stuff in boxes. I decided to hang out outside most of the day since I never knew who might come around the corner or box would be built. Later on, Joan left and she forgot to leave my bed for me so I didn't have anything to lay on while she was gone. I thought about the couch...but then decided the wood floor would be good in any case because it is so cool.

I just saw Joan come upstairs with that box on wheels - I'm no fan. I'm going to stick to her like glue if I can to make sure she doesn't go somewhere again for 5 weeks!

June 27, 2007

snoooooz

Well, Rachel, Lew and especially Will are tiring me out. I'm exhausted at the end of every night. I am on dog and squirrel patrol in the HUGE backyard everyday. There are lots of dogs with their humans who walk by our yard so I always have to go and check them out and let them know this is my yard and don't come over unless I like you (i.e., bark bark).

It has been 6 days and Joan has not returned yet.

I like the little boy, Will. I should tell Joan to get one. They are fun. But I would like it if he would stop following me around with that light. He has this portable light that he points at me all the time. He also tries to imitate me and he laughs at me when I sneeze or bark or whine or, well, really do anything. That's what I like about him the most!

June 4, 2007

Invaders

Joan doesn't know why I'm not eating but I know why. Because invaders are constantly coming into our house and yard without my knowledge, and then I return to find out because I can smell them instantly. And their smells linger. You know dogs can smell humans easily because humans drop bits of their skin as they walk, without even knowing it! Well, it freaks me out to smell all these people.

Rest assured I do eat but usually it is later at night and then I eat my breakfast and my dinner. Like now I just ate it all and my tummy is FULL.

This past week I got to go to Joan's work, the coffee shop (several times) - once Roberta met us there which was cooool, to Martha's house in St. Louis Park - got to see Boli, the cat, to a guy named Aaron's house - talk about a house to live in I'll say more in a minute, to the dog park, and to Chris (that is a girl)'s house - she has a hyper dog named Molly. WOW - what a week.

So on Saturday night, we went in the car for a while; enough that I got comfortable in the backseat. But then we slowed down and ended up at this house. I got out and Joan didn't even have me on a leash. I got to run around loose. Heaven. There was lots of tall grass to smell and pee on. Then a large german shepherd came my way. She was a bit scary to me and I kinda growled at her to leave me alone. But she wouldn't! She kept smelling my butt and running after me. I think she wanted to play but she was scary. I growled more and then we kind of got into a fight and there was yelping and she was biting my back (not hard) but I yelped anyway. Well, after that, she went over near her owners on a leash and I stayed velcro to Joan. It was a fun night because during it we went on a big trek through the tall grasses. I was all wet by the end because the grasses were wet and almost taller than I. The german shepherd (Reisa) was with us and later her owner let her off leash and we were okay then. The humans were pretty damn hysterical because they all fell down this muddy hill and ended up on top of each other. Reisa and I had no trouble going up and down the hill several times with no falling at all. Humans!!

Well, Joan and I returned very late (early?) home and I slept well and late. But then we had to leave again (those invaders came here). But I got to go to my park which was fantastic and swimming in the Mississippi. Oh, and we went to the store to get more food for me and the woman there gave me lots and lots of treats (Joan told her I wasn't eating my food and she just gave me more of them!) hee hee heee.

Then we went to the place where loud thunder happens all the time and picked up Joan's sister, Eileen. I was happy to say hi to her. But she said I was wet so not so great to pet. :-(

Then we went to Chris' house and walked some more and was with Molly, the springer spaniel. Molly tried to lick me a few times and I had to growl at her to tell her to tone it down. And she did! We hung out in the house a bit, too. And I made friends with the man there, Jim. He was cool and I licked him pretty quick so he's in my friends group now.

I wonder where we'll go next? Today Joan, thank goodness, was boring and on the computer so I got to sleep and catch up. I can't take all these days of being awake all the time. I need my beauty sleep.

May 16, 2007

I'm tired and nervous and not eating

My oh my. I'm exhausted and freaked out. Joan has been out of control - I live now in this really really clean place. Where did all my fur on the floor go? GONE. One day about 4 strange people came by - 2 people were putting smelly stuff on the wall, 1 guy was doing something in the bathroom where I'm not allowed, and 1 woman walked all around the house inspecting things. As is usual, I didn't really like the guys but the woman was okay.

The last few days I haven't had my usual long all-day naps. Joan has taken me to the place where she goes during the day. I got to go with her! She even had one of my beds there. It was okay but I was scared of the men there, too. I barked at two of them even though Joan says they are nice.

The best time was last week when I was at Camp Bosco with Martha in St. Louis Park. I stayed there for a few days but Joan still came over everyday which was kinda funny but I slept there at night with Martha and Boli, aka Simon Bolivar the cat. We had a fantastic time. I like their backyard since it is bigger - I can really run after the ball. My current backyard I have a running route but if I go off course through the tall plants, then Joan gets maad at me.

I'm back at home now but when Joan and I leave and then return, I can tell that other strangers were in our house and yard. I can smell them immediately. Like yesterday, Joan and I were out and about for a long time - we were at the coffee shop. I was scared of everyone! In any case, when we finally got back home, I smelled "others" in the yard. Not good.

This has all led me to stop eating. I am very nervous with all this weird change in my normal schedule. Today I didn't even eat anything (besides my peanut butter pill this morning) until tonight around 7pm. That's just the way it's gonna go. I'm worried. Is Joan taking me with her or not? Whose been here? Why is she vacuuming again? Nervous, nervous, nervous.

May 4, 2007

I'm gonna keep bloggin

No worries, friends, I plan to keep bloggin - i've gotta tell you what it is like in Texas. I'm sure we'll have many adventures there. I'm kinda excited but it is true as Hobbes said, if Joan had told me earlier, I could have held out for relocation allowance - more toys, new bed, more bones and treats. University of Texas should at least throw me a bone, right?!

Joan is kinda boring right now. She's cleaning. She's been doing this for weeks. The nice lady came again this morning and met with Joan. I don't know what she wants but she told me to protect the papers she put on the floor that were for Joan. I obeyed her. I can tell she is a dog lover.

As long as I get my walks and food and pets, I'm pretty happy. Though, I would really like to get my backyard back!

May 1, 2007

Loving the sun and view from the house

My yard is gone

Can you believe this? Joan has shut off the entire yard (or almost) from me. Well, I already told you about that because I jumped over it a couple times. You can see how I'm held captive in the brick area and I can at least go up to the oak tree and smell for squirrels. My real problem, though, is the bunny rabbit. Everytime I come out of the house in the morning, the bunny is there ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE! But then it scrambles away.

In any case, I'm living with it as much as I can. I still have my balls and toys.

March 29, 2007

All by myself

Joan left me all by myself in the house ... hmmmm....what to do?

No, I was a GOOD GIRL except for going up on the couch. Her pillow obstacles were no obstacle for me.
I even did not go in the cupboard that was left open that had all my treats in it. I could have eaten a whole bunch of food. Joan was very surprised at that but I'm a GOOD GIRL.

In any case, my young friend, Izzy, took care of me again and I pulled her around the neighborhood before and after her school and got to go out before bed. I didn't throw up this time, and Joan was back really quickly so it wasn't too bad. Izzy left Joan some artwork of ME so Joan's gonna post it on here later. I love it when I'm the object of art, attention, play, etc. etc.

March 18, 2007

Lick-o-rama

Friday night my good friend, Roberta, (she also has been my caretaker at times) came over to visit Joan. She had no pants on!!! She had a dress but bare legs. You know what that means. Lick-o-rama time. I love bare skin! Especially when it has yummy flavored stuff on it - Joan says that is called lotion. So I just couldn't help but lick Roberta's legs which I'm not sure she liked. Joan then made me lay down on my bed and not get up. But at times the lure of her legs and just Roberta, as a cool person, overtook me and I got up and went over there to say hello. She would pet me but then she also made me go and lay down too. I did settle down and snoozed a little - I mean if I can't snuggle and lick then I might as well get a nap in.

March 2, 2007

Lots more snow

More snow fell down from the sky. Now we have tons. And I like it. Except that Joan doesn't immediately take me on a walk in the morning. Instead she takes her metal shovel and pushes the snow out of the way on the pathways. She doesn't need to do that for my benefit!!! I just plow through the snow no bother.

Here are some photos from today in the backyard.

I hope she takes me down to the river or to the golf course. Sometimes we walk along the river and now the snow will be really high. I'll have to do my butterfly moves through it. Joan calls it that because she says I look like I'm doing "butterfly" swim stroke. I don't know that stroke for swimming personally - I just have dog paddle as my stroke. I guess Joan also spends time in the water though I've only gone swimming with her once - in California last summer. It was in a big pond called a "pool".

I also really love the golf course. Joan puts on her long shoes called "skis" and she goes really fast then, and I can get to run along by her. We went out there on Monday and Tuesday and no one was there.

The only thing I don't like is that Joan took this long metal pole thing out of the garage - it is REALLY long - and I was scared of it. Then it got scarier because the snow from the roof of the house started falling down next to the house. I wanted to investigate and smell the snow that fell, but Joan kept making more of it fall down with the long pole thing. I just stayed away.

February 21, 2007

No more bat

We haven't seen any more bats - thank goodness. I don't like it when Joan screams like that.
Joan stayed home a couple days last week and I loved it especially because all she did was lie on the couch and I could snuggle with her. She says she was "sick". I'm never sick!

Speaking of that, last night I decided to go up and try to sleep on her bed. I snuck up there and she was reading a book. I jumped up on the bed and she let me stay.....bonus!!! Sometimes she makes me get down for nighttime sleeping but this time she let me stay.

On Monday, Joan was gone for a long time but my favorite guy, Tim, came over and let me out. I was SOOOO happy. I love that guy. Really. I get all wiggly. He is so cool because he gives me treats. He's a dog guy. And he lives with his mom (Doris) and she doesn't want to have any dogs so he gives all his dog lovin to me. I'm lucky. But I did see that his daughter (Ally) has a really small dog. We walked by her when she drove up and I saw the little dog. And then I saw Tim walk outside with that little dog. I was jealous so I barked at him and the dog! Not fair!!!! But I know that that dog doesn't live there all the time, so I still get dog lovin at other times.

When Joan got home, I wasn't as demanding as I usually am since I got the extra "outside time" while she was gone.

February 13, 2007

Understandable shaft

I'm getting the shaft - only a couple block walks. But it is understandable, I guess. Joan spent all day Sunday sick in the bathroom - she really was a mess - and didn't even walk me at all. Our neighbor, Tim, took me for a walk on Sunday morning and then Eileen, Joan's sister, came over in the afternoon. She took me out as well as did a bunch of things for Joan. She came over again on Monday morning. Joan just laid there ...forever and forever. But the benefit was I got to join her on the couch or bed. She finally took me for a short walk today but she is sooooo slow, not her usual self at all.

There was also another peculiar incident on Sunday night. Joan had gotten sick again and was on the couch again...exhausted. I was on my bed. All of a sudden, something started flying around the living and dining room really fast. Joan started screaming and put her head under the covers and called someone on the phone. She was screaming describing this thing she called a "bat". Next thing I knew, Joan dragged me (since she was screaming, I was a little scared) upstairs and closed the door. Then someone else called us back called "Animal Control" but they told Joan she had to deal with it herself since it was in our house (why would we call if it was outside?) and she owned the house. A few more phone calls and then Joan left me upstairs with the door closed and there was much discussion on a speaker phone about getting this bat out of the house. All I know is that it is gone. A while later, Joan came up and got me and I could go out to do my business before bed.

We do not like other animals flying around our house uninvited! We know that bats are really good animals because they eat mosquitos ....but they also can have rabies so it is not that great of an idea to get near them. We like them to be outside, eating mosquitos, not inside trapped.

So much has gone on since Friday that I forgot to mention that Joan did take me to the vet on Friday and I guess my teeth are clean now. They put me in a cage and then I was shaking a lot because I don't like cages. They put me to sleep and then I woke up in the cage and was kind of silly. A while later, they let me out and Joan was there! My back legs didn't work exactly right when going downstairs but they got back to normal later on.

February 4, 2007

Burning sugar

I was very worried about Joan today so much so that my whole body started shaking like a leaf, which doesn't surprise Joan anymore. She was cooking stuff on the stove and it kinda exploded over the pot and it was sugar and then it was on fire. That loud sound did not start (thank goodness - it scares the heck out of me) but it smelled bad and I was very concerned. Perhaps I should have been a fire-watch dog. Anyway, Joan didn't seem too phased but I was shaking until she said, "Why are you shaking?" Then I laid down on the floor --- still eyeing the scene with great care -- until she was done.

January 28, 2007

Jone gone, Joan home, Bath, Warm Air

Joan left me last week. I saw that box on wheels and then she just left me! I couldn't get to the computers so I couldn't blog about it. I was stuck in this house alone. Well, not really alone because a cool kid, Izzy, came over many times a day and she walked me and fed me and hung out with me. It wasn't so bad except I did throw up the day after Joan left - I was worried about her. But I did have lots of beds around. Joan put my big blue bed and my big red bed in the living room and she put the blanket on the couch (not that the blanket NOT being there prevents me from going up on the couch - hee hee). So I had bed-o-rama. It was a little lonely during the night when Joan is usually here sleeping but I looked forward to Izzy coming over in the morning.

Today, I was SUPER happy to see a car drive up and Joan got out! I was jumping the highest I ever can on the front door. Then she came in and I gave her kisses and hugs and butt bumps. She took me for a walk in the freezing cold. She said it was about 70 degrees warmer where she was....hmmmm....well, the cold doesn't bother me anyway.

When we got back to the house, the next thing I knew, Joan had me in the bathtub - I actually went willingly and jumped in myself. Though it is kinda a hard thing to do - Joan kinda propped my hindquarters up and over. But it was actually a nice bath because the water was waaaaarrrrrmmmm. My last bath was freezing in November, I think. I tried to escape from the bathtub once because I am a dog and I should always try to escape at least once so that Joan doesn't think she has control of me. After she let me out and dried me off a bit, she did something she's never done before. She blew hot air on me from that loud machine she points at her head everyday. I'm afraid of it so I ran away at first, but then I came around because, again, it felt kinda good. Nice and warm. So she blew hot air on my fur - I call it a furdryer. It was nice.

Then we went for a run by the river - I was bad and before we got to the river, I really barked my head off at another dog. Oops. Joan was mad at me! But I didn't bark at any other dogs - even the black dog I saw by the river that I usually do bark at when I'm on leash. I've seen him before down there - he's okay off leash.

January 19, 2007

Tiger Toy No More

I forgot to tell you all that the tiger toy that I only JUST GOT -- remember the picture of it posted only a few weeks ago:

Well, Joan took it away and I don't think Tiger is returning. See I really loved chewing on it. It was really, really great. But I had chewed off its ear and its tail. And I was working on one of its feet and the other ear. The problem, I think, was that Joan did not want me to swallow the plastic (geez, she's no fun!!).

The good news is we got another new item - I got a new collar that FLASHES red when she turns it on. And Joan also got a collar of sorts except she puts it on her arm and it also FLASHES red. We are flashing duo when are out on walks. COOL. So far we haven't had any comments about them but we've only used them twice. I'm sure all the other dogs and humans will be jealous! Maybe these flashing gizmos will make the humans in cars slow down and stop for us when we cross the street at nighttime.

Joan got another flashing gizmo last year but it only worked for like 10 hours and then when it stopped working, she put new batteries in it and it never worked again! This new one is supposed to work for 200 hours. That will definitely get us through the rest of this MN winter. We hope.

January 15, 2007

Vomit Weekend

The title says it all. On Saturday morning, Joan got up and let me out and gave me food but I could tell she wasn't gonna take me for a walk so I didn't eat any food. Instead, she let me up on the bed and we snoozed a bit longer. When we got up, I went downstairs, drank some water and them immediately vomited on the floor in two spots. Uh, oh. Joan shooed me outside. After I saw she was putting her shoes on, I ate some food. Then we went to the dog park. There were not that many friends there because it was a bit cold. At the far end of the park, Joan was throwing sticks for me to fetch on the iced up Mississippi River. All the humans were laughing at us as we skidded around on the ice. Joan chatted with some other humans and I chewed and swallowed a few sticks despite Joan telling me not to.

On Sunday morning, Joan woke up and came downstairs to let me out and at the back door, she saw a pile of vomited-up sticks. "Well that's not surprising," she said. She did not hear me do it like she usually does when I start to vomit because she had that loud air thing going in her room. (I slept on the comfy couch downstairs.)

Shall I also tell you that I'm getting the sense that Joan does not LIVE FOR ME. I mean, every night this weekend - even last night - she went out! Okay, so she was here with me all day or at least most of the day but that is just not enough. I'm getting needier and needier - I need my cuddle time on the couch with Joan.

Tonight I was on the couch while Joan was working on her computer in the office. I heard a LOUD POP and I ran like a cheetah and bulldozed into the office door. Joan looked outside and I guess the neighbor clears his sidewalk of snow with a 4-wheeler and it did something called a "backfire" and that is what I heard. It reminds me of that awful day, July 4th. In any case, I relocated to my bed in the office. It's a good thing I have so many beds (not even counting the couch, the leather chair, Joan's bed, the rug...) A dog's got to be versatile.

January 7, 2007

Silly blind Joan

Joan's asleep and I am stealing a few moments to tell you about how silly she is. I was out on my bed in the living room. I could hear her in the bathroom running water etc. She usually comes out to say goodnight and invite me upstairs (I don't always go up there especially lately because she has this cold water fan thing going and I don't like fans!). Anyway, tonight she came into the living room and pretty much, humans, unlike dogs, clearly can not see that well at night! She was talking to me but walking straight towards the stereo - not where I was. Ha ha. I was laughing inside. Then she must have remembered where the bed was and pivoted and then hit me in the head! Eeks. Then I could smell lotion on her hands (I love licking lotioned hands and body parts) and tried to lick her hands but she moved them away from me. Anyway, it is a hoot to watch her bounce around in the dark.

Earlier tonight we went over to visit Boli, the cat. Boli has been at home alone for a while so we go over and visit him every so often (another human is actually going over there every day but probably doesn't stay around a lot.) We go over and sit on the couch and get pet by Joan while she watches movies. She knows enough to do the double-pet (simultaneous petting me and Boli). I gave Boli lots of kisses. I can't believe I was ever mean to him and chasing him around when I stayed there once. Anyway, we are friends again.

January 5, 2007

Perspectives

Where have I been? Here in Mpls!

Hey, hey, I've been gone for a long time - thanks to my friends who emailed asking what happened??? Well, Joan has been home interrupting my usual sleep and typing time! She's been entertaining and then doing lots of work at home. I guess I do get to sleep BUT not my computer time. I'll update you with things that have been going on.

First Joan put up this silly tree again and made me pose in front of it. What bugs me is that it now makes it more difficult to see outside at all the trespassers on my territory. But I make due!

Way back a few weeks ago, Joan had a big party. I was there, right in the thick of things (see me):

I tried to stick with Joan most of the time. There were so many people there! Many of them I already know so I also had some friendly faces and hands to lick in the crowd. But when people were opening presents, I sat near Joan. Sometimes people would all laugh really loudly, and it made me a little scared and I'd have to nuzzle Joan.

About a week later, my good friends from Iowa came up to visit. I got to see Kaleb, one of my favorite little people (though, he's not so little anymore). I could tell he was a little sad - Joan told me his dog passed away just days before he came to visit me. I tried to be extra nice to him and his people, too, because I'm sure they were sad too. Here are pictures of me being nice and cuddly:

December 15, 2006

Pillow attacked again

I jumped up on the couch to join Joan while she ate her pizza (yum) but that same pillow fell on me again and you should have seen me jump (fly) off the couch! It is scary.

Joan is spending all her time in the kitchen and not on the couch with me. I keep whining at her, meaning let's go to bed or go to the couch, but she just gives me treats or meat sticks. Thank goodness that loud alarm did not go off again or smoke fill the kitchen. I guess she got things under control.

December 14, 2006

Shaking, Alarm, Smoke

Okay, last night was the last straw. Joan was in the kitchen again mixing and chopping etc. She turned on the big shiny thing that pumps out heat. This time, though, it was pumping out smoke, just like it did on Sunday. On Sunday, a really loud alarm went off and that, combined with the smoke, and then a loud fan that Joan turned on, I was a mess. I started shaking like a leaf. Joan put me outside.

Last night the alarm did not go off but Joan finally saw that smoke was billowing and she closed to the door to upstairs (where the alarm is) and turned on that loud fan above the smokestack. I was freaking out so she put me outside again and opened the window. I could see what was going on and was still concerned and scared due to the loud fan. I was shaking.

Joan put her hand in the big machine and wiped up some stuff on the bottom of it and the smoking didn't continue as much but she still had the fan on, so I stayed outside. Finally she let me back in after the smoke dissapated and she turned off the fan. I was still CONCERNED.

After the brown thing cooked (yummmm....chocolate...), she kept the oven on after taking out the racks. It was on for like 3 hours and smelled kinda funny. When we went to bed, it was still on. I just stayed away from the kitchen.

Some good news is I got a new bed... i'll show pictures later on. I like it but it is very big, Joan says, for our small house.

December 4, 2006

Pillow Attack

You might think I mistyped, meaning another poodle attack, but no, I was attacked by a pillow. I jumped up on the couch and one of the many pillows fell on me. It scared the daylights out of me (as Joan's mom would say) and I immediately jumped back onto the floor and then stared up at the couch with trepedation. I wouldn't go back up until Joan moved the pillows and asked me to come back up a few times. It seemed safer on my bed on the floor.

Then, another day while Joan was gone, the same thing happened to me again! This time Joan was not home to protect me, so I just decided no more couch unless Joan was home.

Then, I did not really get a choice because the big basket with clothes in it is on the couch and there is not really enough room for me, so I've been back on my bed.

November 17, 2006

Brown on brown doesn't always hide me

The other day Joan came home and gave me some food. While I was eating my dinner, I saw her checking the couch, my bed, and then the brown leather chairs. Yep, then I heard it, "Bosco, you've been lying on the chair!" I thought that my brown fur on the brown chair would be hidden and she'd never find out that I was back snuggling on the brown chairs. But she found out, due to my body heat. Damn body heat. She felt the spots to see what was warm. If I just knew when she was coming home, I could slip off and let it cool off, but Joan comes home at all sorts of different times.

This morning I got the shaft. I only got to go down the street and back. It was another busy morning. While on that short walk, though, I sniffed something interesting. It smells like birds and squirrels and looks like a soft bed that doesn't belong on the boulevard. Perhaps it fell from the tree.

November 10, 2006

Shoes for comfort

Yesterday, Joan left me alone a lot. First, she woke up and said something like, "You are not going to get much of a walk." It was true she only walked me down our street and back. It seemed like she was in a hurry to get somewhere. I was ancy and lonely then and when she came home around lunchtime, she saw that I had moved one of her leather shoes onto my bed. I did not get into too much trouble because I hadn't chewed on it like I have in the past. There was a little tooth indentation but nothing too bad. I liked having it close to me as I was sad I didn't get much of a walk or love in the morning.

We did go for a long walk during lunch and I got to sit outside while Joan ate food. I even lounged in the grass a bit. It was not as nice a day as Sunday, but I don't care if I just get to be outside.

But, then Joan left again for a long time and when she got home a couple hours past sunset, I was really ready for another walk! Guess what? She found her running shoe near my bed. Yep, I was still lonely and since she had moved all her leather shoes on the other side of the dining room door, all that was left was her running shoes. So I moved one of those to my bed during the afternoon.

After our evening walk, I got to lounge on the couch with Joan while she ate her dinner and watched TV and talked on the phone.

November 2, 2006

Territory Invasion

The other day was kinda out of control. Joan spent time in the kitchen making this:

I didn't mind her doing that really. In fact, she dropped these seeds on the ground and I licked it but did not find it very palatable. Anyway, she put this thing outside and kept the door open a bit. Then people kept walking by our house and even up to our door. I can tell you this was not acceptable - too many violations of my territory. And I let it be known. I was barking up a storm. Joan was laughing at me but later she also said that it didn't matter that the doorbell was broken because I always let her know when someone was at the door. I kinda recognized some of these little people but it was really hard because almost all of them had hats on and hats scare me so I wouldn't get too close. Especially if it was a tall pointy black hat which I saw a few of.

To make things worse, she gave these people chocolate - my favorite - which I smelled inside a bag near the door. I sniffed it and thought, I'll eat that later when Joan is gone. uh huh! I've done that before. I was really going crazy and by the end of the night I was hiding behind the leather chair kinda like that day when all those loud POPS go off in the neighborhood. It makes me scared. I also tried to get up on top of Joan in the chair but she said, no no, since there was no room for me up there. I really needed some cuddling -or - coddling, as Joan says.

Joan left the chocolate out over night, and I smelled it again in the morning. Check. Still there. To be eaten later. THEN, Joan picked up the bags on chocolate and put them in the cupboard. SHOOT! She must have seen me sniffing it.

October 12, 2006

Non-schedule

I have no idea what is going on except that our schedule has gone to pieces. It seems my normal morning and 5pm walk are all messed up. It is making it weird for me, and I've started to need my security blanket - uh, I mean shoe. See, after Joan leaves, I'll take one of her shoes that are near the door and move it to wherever I am lying down - my bed or the floor or on the couch (if I"m sneaky). In the past, if I've been really upset like when Joan leaves all day and then comes home and leaves again really fast, sometimes I've even had to chew her shoe a bit. She didn't like that at all because they were nice leather shoes for her work, I guess. Then she started hiding all her shoes except the one she wears everyday when we go walking. I guess those are tough.

It doesn't matter that Joan hangs out here all morning or even into the afternoon - if she leaves and then returns late, it messes up my expectations for a nice evening walk. Instead we walk really late at night when there are no squirrels to chase --- hmmmmm. At least there are still lots of smells.

Last night when she got home at 9pm (she said something about doing research but that is definitely not as important as me -- she's also said things about having dates or going to talks about bikes at a place called REI - none of these are acceptable reasons), I was really needy. I really wanted to go for a walk but she's wasn't biting. She sat on the couch and I put my head in her lap and whined. Then I got up on her lap and started nudging her. When she said "go lie down on your bed," I just jumped up on the couch and curled up next to her. :----) She didn't do anything so I stayed PUT until bedtime.

June 1, 2006

Something's Up

I get the feeling something is up. Joan was wild today cleaning the gutters and digging up dirt in the yard (my pathway for running) and throwing small seeds down and getting it wet. Then she cleaned the car - vaccuuming it - I got in it but then realized she was going to turn on that loud machine so I got out and sat in the yard. Then she put the sheet in the backseat - I tried it out very comfy. Then she took down my crate/kennel and put it in the trunk of the car...hmmm...it really seems like we might be going somewhere.

She also came home and I guess she bought some sort of harness because she put it on me and made me wear it outside in the yard while she and her sister were doing the gutters (by the way, the stuff she threw down from the gutters had a really interesting smell!!! cool!!). The flies came out in droves to smell it, too. Joan and Eileen, though, I guess didn't appreciate it because they kept saying over and over how bad it smelled. They are crazy - it was cool.

Now Joan is bringing stuff out from everywhere - the basement, the closets, her clothes. Something is definitely happening. I'm not going to leave her side just to make sure I get INTO that car before she leaves, if that is what will occur.

May 30, 2006

Crate

Joan has been doing something funny with me. For the past 3 years, I've always had my own bed that is on the floor. In fact, I have two beds - one for downstairs and one for upstairs in her bedroom (or for travel b/c it is smaller). Well, several weeks ago, Joan brought out this crate and set it up upstairs in her bedroom and put my nighttime bed in it! I remember this crate because I slept in it when we went to Itasca State Park last fall (I do have a good memory). Joan made me sleep outside on the deck while she was inside a cabin!

Well, first she had me go in but it made some funny sounds so I left it. Then she put something underneath it and then I went in and it was just okay. I only stayed for a bit. At night, she'd have me go in - she always left the door open - and I'd stay in there for a bit and then I'd get up and go sleep in the hallway. After a week or so, I started to sleep in my crate-it actually is comfy and cozy. Then when Joan went to Texas, she put the crate downstairs, as you see in these pictures. One is of me eating a biscuit. The other is a time that she closed the door on it and then she went to take a shower. I was absolutely fine with that. I will go in the crate at night or if she tells me to go in, but generally I like to be out and about when I'm downstairs. I'm still not exactly sure why she all the sudden brought this out but I think it might have to do with the game she said we're gonna start playing called "Where in the U.S. is Bosco?" hmmm.

May 24, 2006

Home Alone

For the past 5 days, I've been living at home alone. It's been the first time I've slept in our house at night alone. Wooooooooooo. Joan left really really early on Saturday - she got up at 4am - despite that, I was totally open to going for a walk but she didn't take me on one. She left in one of those cars that have kind of a light on top of the roof. I saw the box on wheels the night before and knew it! In any case, Eileen came over later that day and walked me and then she returned that night and walked me more, and we watched a movie.

Then Doris and Tim started to let me out in the morning and at night before bed. Between then, EIleen would visit me, feed me, and walk me. I had a nice time, but I was waiting for Joan to return. When Doris let me out, I would always check for the smell of Joan on the path to the garage but couldn't smell her. :-(

Today I heard a noise and looked up from my spot sitting on the leather chair near the window, and to my pleasant surprise, I saw Joan walking with that box on wheels!!!!! I immediately ran to the front door and started jumping up on the door and squealing with joy. Joan finally opened the door, and I jumped up and gave her a big kiss and a hug. And then a few more and a few more. We went on a walk as expected and I had dinner, too. Then I collapsed. I've been a bit anxious since Joan left, so now I can finally relax and I've been falling into some major deep sleeps! Even though Joan was gone, staying alone in my house was so much better than going to THAT kennel where I lost 10% of my bodyweight because I was so scared.

I'll tell more tomorrow about a dog-cousin I found out I have in Texas!

May 16, 2006

Party

Last week, Joan tricked me and had a party. I thought something was up because she put a cloth on the table and had flowers. Eileen came over and started putting red stuff in a big bowl and put it on the table. And then this huge cake - it smelled good and I wanted to eat it.

Then Eileen took me outside for a walk. We went down to the river near the dunes where Joan lets me off leash. Eileen did not let me off. It was raining, too, but I would have gone swimming anyway. When we got back to the house, there are a lot of people in the house! I was scared a bit. I poked my head out of the kitchen, while getting low to the ground, and saw Joan across the room. She was calling me, but I was really scared by all the legs that could potentially kick me or something. But I made it over to her, phew! After that, I relaxed a bit more. My favorite kid, Will, and his mom, Rachel, came by. Some of these people had their own dogs because I could smell them.

After the party, Joan and Eileen left. Then my ears started to get bad - at least one of them was itching me a ton. When they got home, Joan could smell that my ear was bad. But then she forgot to clean it! The next morning, I was flapping, flapping, flapping my ears constantly. I'm glad Joan started to fix them even though I don't like the wet stuff she puts in my ears nor the pink pill she puts in my food. The other day I licked the peanut butter off the pill and left the pill there. :-) My ears are feeling MUCH better now!

May 5, 2006

Deliveries

Yesterday, Joan was getting ready to go. I could tell. So I gave her sad eyes and sat down and put my paw up on her or just up in the air. Joan told me that she had to go to work in order to pay for this house that I live in. Hmmmm. I don't know if I believe it. Joan's life should be dedicated to ME, not to some job where she makes money or something.

Yesterday while Joan was gone at work, two men came up to the door and I barked furiously at them! One was in a brown truck. They rang the doorbell...bark, bark, bark, bark, stare at them through the window...and then they left boxes and went back to their noisy trucks. I know I scared them away. I showed them who owned this house!

When Joan came home, she found the boxes and brought them in. One of them had all sorts of flowers in it! While I was eating dinner (late!), Joan was cutting the flowers and putting them in water. I was done with dinner and waiting...waiting...waiting for a walk. Finally we went on a walk and then we came home and I sat outside while Joan ate dinner and rearranged those flowers again! She said her friend, Chris - who I know - she is a nice, dog person - and Chris' family - gave them to her for something called "promotion." It made Joan happy so that is always a good thing in my book. But on the other hand, I most always make Joan happy too, so she doesn't necessarily need flowers in addition to the mere presence of ME. Ha ha!

Joan says that next month we are going to play the game, "Where in the United States is the Bosco dog?". I don't know what this game is all about but I know that I'm involved somehow.

April 3, 2006

Weekend activities

On Saturday, Joan took me to the dog park. Well, first she went to the coffee shop on the way and I had to wait in the car while she got her food and drink. Then, she let me out and we sat outside at the tables. She ate her food and I waited, waited, waited. There was no lack of people to look at because people kept coming in to the shop, so I'd check them out as they went in or out. Sometimes I would try to get near them so I could sniff their legs - interesting smells.

Then, we finally did go to the park. Once we got in and beyond the initial pack of dogs waiting at the top, I was more comfortable. The park wasn't as muddy as last week and the Mississippi River was flowing VERY high, so we couldn't walk on the shore of the river like we did last week. Joan chatted with this woman who had two very small dogs - one black and one brown. I also ran around with some springer spaniel type dogs - we had some great chasing.

After the park, we did the usual things - some that I like and some that I don't. We had to go through that machine again which sprays water all over the car while we are in it. It scares me and I whine a lot. But, then we went to the store where I can go in and BONUS get treats to eat.

On Sunday, Joan seemed very upset and she was getting sick in the bathroom. That was weird. I've done that sometimes when my stomach gets empty and I vomit on the floor. Actually, Joan doesn't let me in the bathroom except for bathtime - which I don't like - so I would not know to vomit in there if that is the right place. I really wanted to go for a walk but at the same time, I could see that Joan was kinda sick, so I stayed kinda low profile as much as I could. She did take me for a walk but I think she was feeling really bad because she was sick some more when we returned and then she went to bed. I was very sensitive to that and instead of trying to get up on the bed with her, which is what I usually would try for, I just took a nap on my own bed on the floor and let her try to feel better.

This morning she seems OK. She got up really early and immediately started working on her computer (after feeding and letting me out, of course) instead of taking me on a walk - that is not our usual schedule. Again, good thing I've been practicing being patient lately, because I had to be patient some more waiting for her to take me on a walk. We just returned from it - and it is cold outside again! BRRRR. Not like Zero or anything, but with the wind a bit cool on my furry back and wet nose.

March 21, 2006

Joan Gone Again

Joan left again! I couldn't believe it since she had just been gone. I started to get worried as I saw her laying clothes on a bed and getting bags out etc. but then she didn't actually leave. One night I was really worried and gave her long, forelorn looks. But then, I did not realize she was leaving and before I knew it, Roberta showed up at the house! Joan must have distracted me while her bags were taken out of the house! I was with Roberta for about 10 days, and I was really happy because I got to stay in my house. And then, Bonus, it snowed a ton and I LOVE playing in the snow. The only thing was that I did not get to blog at all because Roberta was using the computer a lot because she is in school to become a nurse.

Joan returned a couple days ago really late at night. I did not know it was her because it was a strange car so I stared barking at her. But then she opened the door and I saw and smelled her and got really excited. I jumped up and gave her a kiss on the lips and anything else I could reach. Wag, wag, wag.

Joan told me she went to Guatemala and also told me that it is a land of dogs. One Guatemalan told her he thought they had more dogs than people living there - that would mean about 13 million dogs. There, dogs get to roam free without leashes (or at least leashes are rarer). However, most dogs are really skinny and almost all the females, like me, are pregnant or lactating. Imagine, having puppies all the time. That's some hard work. I've never done it, but I've heard from other dogs. Joan told me she wanted to do "dogs of Guatemala" and started taking pictures of dogs there but soon realized that it was too sad and that no one would buy her imaginary coffee table book. Despite the dogs, she told me she had a fabulous time and loved the country and the people she met there. I would hope that was the case since she gave away 10 days of being with me for going there. It better be good!!!

I have one more thing to tell you - how in the end I slowed down our walk. I wanted to go for a walk so I was kind of bugging Joan by looking longingly at her and at outside and then back at her. She was fooling around saying things like "do you..." and "do you want..." without finishing the sentence. I know what she's doing!!! She thinks I only know the first part of the sentence. I was a bit annoyed with her so when said, "do you want?" I jumped up on her. Well, she had a cup of something hot and it spilled on her. She put down her cup and went to the bathroom to soak up the liquid on her sweatshirt. Then, we heard a big "ka-plunk!". Joan went out to see what it was. It sounded like someone threw something at the house. Then she scanned the room and happened to notice that her mug had fallen down and hot tea was everywhere on the hardwood floor. Sooooo....then instead of going on a walk, she had to clean that up! Meanwhile, I was ....waiting....

Finally, she cleaned all that up, got on some good clothes for outside and we went on a walk. I love Sundays - they are so quiet - no one is every around, especially on our morning walk. In fact, we heard a tree cracking that might fall down any moment...but it didn't fall down while we were near it. phew.

February 9, 2006

Sad eyes ... don't work.

So last night, Joan got into bed and I could tell she was going to read and not go to sleep. I walked over to the side of the bed and looked at her - hard. She was about to say something and instead of listening, I jumped up on the bed and laid on top of her. hee hee hee. I kind of startled her because she made a funny noise and almost dropped her book. Then she started talking, "Bosco you are not allowed up here when I go to bed. You have to go lie down on your bed...bla bla bla." I just stared at her again with kind of watery, sad eyes. I know she thought I was cute, but it didn't work. She said "Go lie down on your bed." And I know what that means, so I got up and started for the corner of the bed where I jump off and onto the rug, but the corner of the rug had several pairs of shoes, and I was afraid to jump down there ;-) so I just plopped down again and waited....It didn't work. Joan got up and moved the shoes and then told me again to go lie down on my bed. So I jumped off and went to my own bed.

BUT - this morning the alarm went off and music started playing. Despite it being early, I took advantage and went over to the side of the bed and jumped up on it and snuggled up in a ball next to Joan. This time she didn't say anything to me - I think she was sleeping. Not too long later, Joan started petting me. Then later, Joan said "do you want to go for a walk?" I immediately jumped up on all fours and started wiggling and jumped off the bed. Then we went on a run around the river. Now that is a great morning!

January 4, 2006

I'm back to normal

Well, as normal as I usually am. I think I'm almost over the horrific kennel experience. I was really exhausted and slept a lot - I even missed my "bug Joan for a walk" period between 3:30-5pm on Saturday because I was sleeping.

I've found a new place to sleep! On Joan's new leather chair! Right now it is really good because I can see out the window more easily - everything is smooshed together because that lit up tree is in the house still. So my access to the windows that face the street have been reduced. And I need to see what's going on outside. I don't know if Joan wants me on the leather chair so I only go on it when she leaves me in the house alone. The problem is I think she was on to me because she had a stack of clean clothes on one side of the chair and she came home and saw that the clothes were all over the chair and some even had fallen on the ground. OOPS.

Joan has been trying to cut my toenails recently, but I am on to her. After struggling with me for a long time, she gave up. But now I know what she does - she lets me fall asleep and then really quickly takes my paw and cuts one of my nails before I realize what she's doing. But now I'm on to her, so I'm not sleeping very soundly anymore.

On Sunday we went over to Boli, the cat's, house (Martha and Miguel live there too but they were not there.) We hung around and I kissed Boli on the nose a whole bunch. I like him a lot. Joan and I also went walking on the golf course and I played with another lab mix dog (black) for a while, and I ran around trees.

December 21, 2005

Imagine if you were a dog...

You are probably familiar with the notion that one year in a dog's life = 7 years of human life. (That's why we grow up so quick from puppy into adolescent in one year.) If this is true, I have a couple thoughts for all of you who are dog owners. As an aside, I'm about the same age as Joan now.

If one year = 7 years, then one day = 7 days (one week). So imagine, my ONE day is comparable to your entire week. Imagine if you were kept in the house for an entire week and never went outside, or worse, barely had a visitor. That's what it is like if you don't take us for a walk a couple times a day or play with us in the house. It's like the most boring week of your life. And for us, it is the most boring day of our life. I mean we only have 10-12 years to be alive - we'd like to make the most of it, just as you all would like for yourselves.

SO, please take us for walks and come home and visit with us and play with us and talk to us! And if that doesn't seem like something you want to do, then don't get a dog!!!

I just felt like speaking up for my fellow dog-kind today. At least I've got a computer I can use to talk with all of you when Joan is at work.

December 11, 2005

Paaaarrrrttttyyyyy

No wonder Joan has been in the kitchen so much! She had a party. I could tell something was going on because she was moving all the chairs in different places and then she started putting some nice looking food on the table in the dining room. Much more accessible to me, I thought, than the countertop! But she wouldn't let me get any of it.

But we did get to go to the golf course and she skiied and I ran around. (Now, I realize this was a ploy of hers to get me to be calm at the party.) Ploy it may be, I was happy to run around.

Then the people started coming - first Eileen and Martha and Ann - I know all of them and was very happy to see them. I really wanted to jump on them but was trying my hardest to control myself. Martha noticed. If I don't jump, then my body just becomes a wiggling mass because all my happiness has to come out in some way, so I wiggle. But then lots more people came - many who I have never met. But I could tell that some of them are dog people - they have their own dogs, so I was just fine.

Ray let me lick his hand and so did Pat. Jayson dropped some food on the ground and I got to eat that. Ann wasn't looking and I took a lick of her food - then she saw me. Oops. Walker sat with me on the floor and petted me a lot! Most of the time I was walking around because Joan was walking around and not in one place.

The toughest time for me was when they were all opening presents and were crowded in one area. And then Pat and Lori sat on my bed! Can you believe it? So I didn't have a place to sit. And then the people moved the chairs in a way that blocked me from getting back into the circle, near Joan. But then Jim saw and he moved the chair so I could get in.

At the end of the night, they did a crazy thing to me. It was just Walker, Valerie, Eileen and Ann left. I could hear Valerie talking about testing your dog's intelligence but I was also napping so I wasn't listening too hard to her. The next thing I know, Joan has some treats in her hand. For the first one, she put it under a kitchen towel. At first, I was thinking, "where is the treat?" But then I smelled it under the towel. I looked at Joan because I wasn't sure if I should go ahead and mess with the towel to get the treat. She didn't say anything to me, so I went ahead and put my foot on the towel and used my nose to push under the towel and get the treat. Easy enough.

Then Joan put the second treat under a plastic tupperware. I saw the treat and pushed it with my nose and the plastic moved. Again, I looked at Joan to see if she was going to help and she did not. So I kept pushing it with my nose and it just kept moving on the wood floor - almost under the couch. Then they were talking about how the test might be different on carpet vs. wood floor. Eileen moved the treat and plastic thing to my bed and then I pushed it against a piece of furniture, overturned the plastic container and got my treat! They all clapped for me. Maybe they had had too much to drink because those are not really difficult tasks. Anyway, they all said I was smart - I already knew that. ;-)

After a while everyone left and Joan turned the dishwasher on and we went upstairs to bed. It was pretty late!

November 25, 2005

Thanksgiving and snow...

Yesterday was a day Joan called Thanksgiving. She continued to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Then people came over - my good friend, Ann, and Eileen, and Martha and Miguel, but then two men I've never met came over too - J.B. and Javier. I was suspicious of them at first. I warmed up to J.B. pretty quickly but Javier I was still cautious about - he was really tall and also spoke loudly at some times. After he gave me a treat, I seemed to trust him more (but that was at the end of the night).

This morning I woke up to snow! My favorite. Joan and I went on a walk and I was up on my hind legs smelling a garbage can. There was something smelling good in there.... and then the guy who lived there who was in his garage told Joan that their turkey carcass was in the garbage. Well, I already knew that because I could smell it!

Joan and I went outside a bit later in the backyard - the snow is glorious.

November 23, 2005

I'm a carnivore

I'm not sure these pictures need explanation besides the fact that the white blob on the cutting board was a huge turkey - MEAT - that I really wanted to get a look at. Or even better a taste of. Joan was doing funny stuff to it. She stuck her hand under the skin and pulled it away from the meat and then put some red stuff inside there. Her hands were all red!! It was funny. I wish I could get that refrigerator door open but it is too high for me. :-(

Joan is spending too much time in the kitchen. I want her to lounge on the couch with me, my new favorite place. At least I'm hopeful that I might get some of the food that she's diligently making!

November 6, 2005

Another level of our relationship

I have risen to another level in my relationship with Joan. I'll give you a clue:

Yes, Joan has been letting me up on the couch with her when she watches TV or reads students' papers or whatever! I don't know exactly what happened that changed her mind to be so open to me on the couch. Perhaps it is the rising heating costs that she's talked about -- you know, I'm quite the heat generator -- or maybe she just wants a dog to cozy up with!! For whatever reason, I'm pretty happy about it. However, I wish she'd spend more time on the couch so I can sit there with her. Too much of her time is in the kitchen or in her office on the computer - and I don't have cozy couches in those rooms. Now, let me say that this new treat seems to not be available at all times. Though she doesn't say anything, I get the sense that Joan doesn't want me up there when she is not up there, too. That seems weird to me. So if she's home, I'm careful about waiting until I'm invited up there. But as soon as Joan leaves, I get right up on the couch!

However, the other night Joan was in another room, and she came into the living room to find:

woops! I was up on the couch cozy and warm, and she found me. She did not do anything but come over and give me hug. Cool!

So that's that.

Yesterday, Joan and I went to the park where I run around like a maniac. We met another dog with my same name, Bosco. That dog was a brown and white Australian shepherd. I like that type of dog - they don't scare me at all. In any case, that Bosco's owner had treats in his pocket and I could smell them. I kept putting my nose on his pocket and licked his hand. Then, Joan said, 'do you have treats?" She told him how I can smell a treat a mile away - especially in pockets since Tim, my favorite neighbor, feeds me treats out of his pocket. So I've learned that the pocket area of human's clothes are great places to sniff to see if any food is in there. Bosco's owner and Joan talked about how they both don't like the Lake of the Isles dog park as it is has a "dog packs" mentality. I really did not like that park when we went there. I was scared out of my mind, so Joan and I don't ever go there anymore.

Recently, I've seen and smelled a few more dead squirrels. The most recent was a freshly dead (blood was oozing out of him and I could really smell this one) squirrel on the street. I pulled and pulled to go and investigate more closely, but Joan would not let me go into the street. I guess she knows what she is doing but I really wanted to smell that squirrel.

October 26, 2005

Joan's home!

Yippee, yippee! Joan came home last night. I liked Anneke - she took me on many long walks, but I really missed Joan. I was sad when she left, and sOOOOO happy to see her last night. I gave her kisses and paw shakes. She let me outside and gave me a treat and then, unfortunately, she cleaned my ears. I don't like that, but on the other hand, my ears had been bothering me the night before, so it was a good thing. I slept up in her room because I don't want to be too far away from her now at any time, in case she decides to go somewhere again. I really wanted to go up on her bed to sleep, so I went over to the side of the bed with 'that look' in my eyes, but Joan did not succomb to it, and I had to sleep on my own bed - which was okay- since at least Joan was back! I'm looking forward to some long walks with Joan now.

October 23, 2005

I'm really sad

This morning Joan got up really early. After taking a walk in the dark, Joan went upstairs and came down with that box on wheels and put it by the door. I HATE THAT THING. I was immediately sad - I think Joan saw it in my face. Joan is leaving!!!! I am so sad....and she did leave when someone drove up to get her. :-(

But thank goodness, Anneke came over around 2:00 and let me out to go to the bathroom. I heard her even call Joan on the phone and tell her I was okay. Then Anneke took me for a super long walk. She is so nice to me but I still miss Joan and am a little sad even with Anneke here.

October 5, 2005

Thunder and Rain

Yesterday morning, it was raining and dark. I was still downstairs on my bed when a huge clap of thunder happened. I HATE thunder. My ears go down and my tail goes between my legs and I search for Joan. Luckily I knew where she was - up in her bed. So I ran upstairs and she was expecting me! She let me go up on her bed - yeahhhh! It is so comfy and I like cuddling with her. She was okay with it since I did not lick her but just kind of curled up and snoozed. It was raining and raining and raining. Then we got up and it is a little scary jumping off her tall bed but I did it anyway because I knew we'd go outside.

She put on all this crunchy-sounding clothes and she opened the door and I saw - it was pouring rain. But I don't care about that so much if a walk is involved. So we went on a walk around 2 blocks. When we got back, Joan went into the garage and got a shovel and then we walked back to the front of the house. I thought, great, another walk. Though I was a bit wary of the the shovel so I did not pull or anything. We walked to the corner and then Joan started shoveling leaves out from the street. At that point, I saw that half of the street was like a shallow pool (fun for me to jump in!) but not so fun when a car drives by really fast. As soon as Joan moved the leaves, the water started going really fast into one of those grated holes that I avoid when walking around. At this point, we are both really wet! Joan's crunchy pants were not really crunchy anymore and my fur was wet but I just shake it off.

We went back inside and Joan had to dry me off like when we go to the dog park. Later in the day we went for a long walk around the river and we did not even get rained on! Last night though - more rain again! Not really any thunder though so Joan did not let me sleep with her on the bed.

September 28, 2005

The basement

Last week, on the last day of summer a really loud sound - Joan called it a siren - went off while Joan was on the phone. It was also raining outside and really dark. Joan wouldn't let me out because it was raining. Then she started closing all the windows and then took her dinner down to the basement.

Then she came up to the top step and tried to get me to go in the basement. No way! Who is she kidding? Doesn't she know I spent a lot of my first two years of life in a basement!!!! I NEVER want to go down there EVER. She was really, really trying to get me to go down. I wonder why she was so worried. I just laid down in the kitchen above the stairs - as near as I could be to Joan but not in the basement!

Later on, she came up and I was waiting for her. I have no idea why she decided to eat her dinner and talk on the phone in the basement. She's a little strange.

September 20, 2005

Evicting the raccoon

So, yesterday Joan left to go to work and the music was blaring up in the second floor of the house. Luckily, she shut the door up there so I did not have to listen to the music too much. I really don't like loud noises. I did not hear or see the raccoon while Joan was gone.

When she returned, she let me out and got her flashlight. She looked up where the raccoon had been in the morning and it wasn't there. Then she looked in the other cubby on the other side of the dormer on the house - and there it was. She was surprised! I couldn't see up where it was from my level but I heard Joan talking to it. She also took a picture of it -- see here:

Like I said, I did not see it but I did later on. In the meantime, she borrowed the ladder from Tim, my favorite neighbor, to put against the house to let the raccoon come down --- since the tree it used to come up had been cut down in the morning. Tim thought we should shoot it - it is also what Joan's dad said - except his exact words were something like "except you live in liberaland". Anyway, we put the ladder up and then Joan and I went for a run around the river. Cool. We returned and the raccoon was still up there but it was awake because it was getting dark.

Joan and I went inside and when she was eating her dinner, we heard some noise near the front door and it was the raccoon again!!! I did not bark though because I couldn't exactly see it, but I heard it and I kept walking around trying to find a way to look outside - Joan had shut the blinds. The raccoon tried to get down but didn't want to just drop 2-3 feet to the planter box. Then Joan put a long piece of wood up onto the roof and into the planting bed thinking it would slide down the wood. Instead, when it tried again, it picked up the wood and then dropped it. So much for that. As Joan was trying to figure what to put out there to help it at its third try she thought she'd put her other ladder out there though it was not long enough to straddle the roof. Meanwhile, please note that Joan would not let me out in the backyard this whole time! I did not like that. She opened the back door to go to the garage and then she saw it - the raccoon was down and in the oak tree. Fantastic!

So she took the ladder down and then we went back inside and she still wouldn't let me out for another 2 hours. I was missing my backyard a lot. When she did let me out, she went out first and scanned the yard with her flashlight first. She is so protective of me - I could handle a raccoon. I can handle squirrels!

September 19, 2005

More parties and...a raccoon

Yesterday, Joan had another party. I can't believe it. More food and more people came over. But Joan told me last night that I was soooo good. I was really well-behaved. I did not jump on anyone and I also wasn't frightfully scared of anyone or anything. I just roamed throughout people. There was another little person there - my size - and he was chasing me one time. But I am much faster than he is so I just running in a circle ahead of him. Then Eileen called the little boy to her and then called me and then I let the boy pet me. Martha and Miguel, my favorite friends, were at the party too! I like to follow Miguel around because he is so nice to me at his own house. By the end of the night, I was very tired. See:

This morning was pretty unusual. Joan was in her bed getting ready to take me on a walk (I was hoping) when I heard a noise out the window. There are always squirrels climbing on the trees so I went to investigate. This time it wasn't a squirrel but a raccoon climbing up the tree. I started barking ferociously. Joan was yelling at it to go down. She kept calling me over - funny, she wanted me to bark at it. It did not go down, though, it went up on the roof. That got Joan out of bed!!!

We went outside and she had a flashlight and kept shining it up on the roof. She started talking to the raccoon on the roof (she was not very nice). Anyway, we got to go on a walk. When we returned she went upstairs and turned on her radio really loud. I don't like loud music so I'm going to stay downstairs as much as I can.

Then the weird thing is some men came to the house and cut down the tree that the raccoon climbed up near the bedroom. These are the same guys that came here last week when Joan wasn't here. I barked at them, too. But Joan was with them so I guess it is okay. But they had this really loud machine that cut the tree - and I don't like loud noises so I just stayed in the house. Now, Joan won't let me out of the house. I think she's afraid of a dog-raccoon interaction. Anyway, what a crazy start to the day.

September 17, 2005

Party!

No wonder Joan was cleaning the house - a ton of people came over today. Well, not at first. First, her friend Anneke who I also really like and her parents and a few others came over and started putting food out on the dining table. I tried to smell it but they told me not to smell. Her parents were cutting cheese from Belgium and that smelled great, too. I was waiting for some but didn't get any. They also gave Joan chocolates - the same kind I stole last year out of the candy dish and ate it all including the foil cover.

Then Eileen and I went to the dog park. Eileen threw sticks for me forever. It was fantastic. When we got home, there were a lot of people in my backyard and in the house, including small people who squeal really loudly. That's a little scary to me. But I had a grand time weaving in and out of the crowd. I was totally fine with all the people especially since a lot of them really liked me and petted me, too. Some guy said he wanted to take me home with him!!! No way, I'm with Joan. I can't believe I'm still awake at this time because I am tired!

September 16, 2005

Visitors

This afternoon, several men came to the house and Joan made me stay in the house while she walked around the house with these guys. She would point up at the house but they were not admiring me, for some reason, totally ignoring me. Geez. The other day, some guys came over while Joan was gone, and I was barking my head off at them. They are not allowed to be near my house without Joan's permission, and it did not appear to me that they had her permission. They certainly did not have MY permission, and I let them know it!!

Tonight Eileen came over and took me for a second evening walk. Lucky me. Later on, Joan became the cleaning queen and she was vaccuuming with that awful machine and moving things around. Again, I don't know why my fur bothers her so much. I just lay on my bed while she worked so hard.

I had to bark at a few neighborhood dogs that walked by my house today. This is MY territory!

September 11, 2005

The lake, the river, squirrel stare-downs, and vacuums!

Yesterday Joan took Eileen (her sister) and me down along the river near her house. Surprisingly, Eileen had never been on this trail near the sand dune. Joan let me get wet in the river. I just looooove the water. I run down and then immediately plop down in the water. I also looooove to retrieve sticks from the river, too.

Today Joan and I walked around the big lake we used to go around often. That was when Joan first adopted me and I was really scared of everything - especially the busy traffic. I would shake I was so scared. Today, I wasn't scared at all. Again, I saw the lake and was SOOOOOOO excited. I just wanted to jump right in, but Joan made me wait until there was a better place. I smelled lots of new smells since we haven't walked around that lake in a while. Joan also took me on the "secret" trail near 34th St (maybe you can find it) and that was really fun because it was full of squirrels! Well, it was fun for me, but Joan was questioning why she veered off the lake.

So then this afternoon, I did a series of squirrel stare-downs again in the backyard. Those squirrels are taunting me. Even though I was right there under the oak tree, looking at them, they would come down, swish their tails, gurgle, and look at me. OHHH, it makes me so mad! Then they come even closer down, almost to the ground and then I just go crazy. Run around the tree, jump up 6 ft high trying to get them, but I didn't.

Tonight Joan did a lot of vacuuming, and I trust her with the vacuum. With my other people "pre-Joan", I was very scared of it because they would come after me with it. Joan never does that, so I don't even move until she is right near me with the vacuum. Then I have to move so she can clean under where I was laying on the floor. For some reason, lots of my fur on the floor bothers her so she has to suck it up in that machine. I don't see a problem with it.

September 3, 2005

Thunder

I don't like thunder. It is the same as fireworks. All day today it has been thundering. Luckily Joan was here so she says I am "superglue" to her. I don't know what that means.

I was begging her to take me for a walk tonight and she kept saying, wait a little bit after looking at something called 'radar' on the computer. I only use the computer to talk to you all, so I don't know what radar is. Anyway, we went for a short walk in the rain, anyway. I don't mind the rain at all!! Joan, though, puts on jeans, jacket, umbrella - she looked like winter to me. If you want to take me on a walk, I will go no matter what. I even will go during firecrackers, though, I will walk really speedily and I will jump in fright on occasion. Anyway, the thunder has subsided so now I'm really getting comfortable - no more fright, I hope.

September 2, 2005

Morning Routines

I thought I'd tell you about my morning routine. First, I usually sleep downstairs on my red bed. Then at about 5am, I quietly go up to Joan's room where there is another bed - yellow and gray. Sometimes I sleep upstairs all night but that is when something scares me in the evening like fireworks or thunder.

Anyway, so like this morning, between 5am and when Joan's buzzer goes off, I alternate between sleeping and going up to the open window to look at the squirrel traffic in the trees. I just lay my head on the windowsill and look out. Sometimes, the squirrels really get me mad by making sounds and, then, I bark and thrash around. Then Joan yells at me. She's afraid I might break through the window screen and fall out the window! I wouldn't do that, though. Usually, I just watch the squirrels. Then when Joan's buzzer goes off, I go to the other side of the bed to greet Joan. Usually I jump up and put my front legs on the bed (it is a tall bed so I can't see her otherwise). If any part of her body is not under the covers, I lick it. Usually it is her arm, hand, or leg. Hee hee. Joan pets me a little until the licking bugs her and then she tells me "just a minute." That means - go lie on my bed for 10 minutes and return. She says I'm a natural snooze.

Sometimes the squirrels drive me so crazy or I really have to go to the bathroom or I'm really hungry and then I might whine a little. That usually gets Joan up!! This morning I took a different tactic and jumped up completely on the bed - twice! Ha ha. (Joan lets me sleep on the bed in a thunder storm, so I know how to get up on the bed now. I'm so lucky that I'm so scared of loud noises because I get benefits.) Anyway, we go through this process until Joan finally gets up and then I know I'm going to go outside and tell/show the squirrels what I really think of them, and go to the bathroom, and eat my breakfast, AND go for a walk. What a fantastic time of the day!

August 30, 2005

Summer oh summer

I love summertime. I get to sit outside tons. Especially since Eileen, Joan's sister, has been staying with us...however, that has now changed. Yesterday Eileen moved all her stuff out into a big truck. Then Joan came home and helped her move furniture out of the house. At least they didn't have boxes on wheels - that's when I know Joan is leaving me for several days. phew. But now I'm sad because Joan is leaving during the day again more often and Eileen is gone, too. So I'm home alone again. Last night Joan asked if I wanted to have a dog roommate. Is she serious?
Eileen said that I'd never want to share Joan, which is true. But, on the other hand, maybe I'd get used to a new roommate. I mean I got used to Eileen but she's not a dog, though.
Well, back to squirrel alert. I need to be aware of what's going on around the backyard.

August 1, 2005

Joan is Home

Joan came home yesterday - she was gone for 9 days and I was counting. I knew she was leaving when I saw her box on wheels come out and then I was really sad. I sat outside until midnight sulking. Joan kept coming out to see how I was but I just wanted to be left alone. The next morning Joan and her sister Eileen left very early in the morning down the street with their rolling boxes. Joan took me for a walk at 5am and it was hot even then! Later that day, Roberta came to stay with me. Phew! I like Roberta even though when I first met her I would bark at her. Eventually I decided I liked her a lot.

Roberta told Joan that I peed on the carpet, but it wasn't my fault. Roberta couldn't come home one day for 12 hours and that was too long for me! I guess that ends my 2.5 year streak of never having an accident in the house. However, I don't really count it since it was so long I had to be inside. Joan forgot to tell Roberta to ask the neighbor, Doris, to let me out in a case like that!

As soon as Joan returned yesterday, we hopped in the car and went to my park. I got to run and jump in the Mississippi and gallop with other dogs. Joan thought I smelled so today she gave me a bath (just 2 hours ago!). While she was washing me in the front of the house, Sierra, the other chocolate lab from the street behind us came by with her human. Sierra came over and gave me a kiss but I wasn't really in the mood to play since Joan had the hose on me, trying to get the water to penetrate down through my thick fur. You'd think Joan could wash me in a more private place than the front yard!

Joan promised me that she is taking this week off of work, too, (well-deserved since a few weeks ago she was only getting 3 hours sleep each night due to several deadlines!). Anyway, that makes me happy because I get to hang out with Joan this week - unless, she decides - aghast - to do something without me. For now, she's here and I like it!

July 18, 2005

My typing hiatus

Joan has been monopolizing the computer the last few weeks. She would go to work and then come home and work on the computer forever! She said she was doing something called a "grant". All I know is that she did not get a lot of sleep because I'd check on her and she'd still be working late in the night and up early, too. That's not the way I like to live. At least she was working at home because she would let me sit outside all evening as long as I wanted. I love it outside - just love it! I finally have a chance to get at the keyboard now that she's done.

We also got to go to the dog park on Saturday night, too. Finally. I haven't been there for 2 weeks I think. It was great because it was so hot out, and I like to swim in the Mississippi River. As is the usual, the park was different again. We haven't had any rain, so the river was really low and we could walk all along the river shore the whole way down the park. There weren't many visitors at the park on Saturday evening - probably because it was 100 degrees out - so the human people didn't want to be out.

On Sunday, Joan kind of slept late (8:30). In the meantime, my stomach was really empty so I had to throw up, but Joan did not hear me do it because the machine that I don't like that blows cool air into the room was on. I'm scared of it. Anyway, Joan found it, though, as she went to get my bowl because I threw up right there. Later, she stepped in another spot that she hadn't seen. Oops, sorry about that!

Hopefully now that the "grant" is done, I will be able to blog more often and hopefully Joan will take me on long walks again and start running with me since it has cooled down a bit.

July 5, 2005

I still really hate July 4

Look at me terrified!!! This is what happens to dogs like me on July 4!

Last night was awful. Joan had the windows and doors open and as night fell, the pops of those firecrackers started more and more. I hated it. I ran behind the chair Joan was sitting in but the open window behind me was still scaring me to death. Finally, finally, Joan shut the windows and doors and I felt a little better. But even when I went out to the bathroom before bed, I did my business very quickly because I heard some more pops! Where are they coming from?

Tonight I had a stare-down with a squirrel and I won. In the middle of it, Joan came to the door and asked if I was okay and if I wanted to come in. I barely acknowledged her, maybe my ear moved a bit when I heard her voice. But I was starring at a squirrel that was perched on the low fence near the neighbor's bird feeders (aka squirrel feeders). I was sitting steadfast, breathing quickly and then Joan showed up! Anyway, she finally saw that I was fixated on the squirrel and she watched until the squirrel backed down. Ha ha! I won!

June 29, 2005

What's it like to be in a fur coat?

It has been very hot here lately. Since I'm in a fur coat, I get really hot quickly. Joan is nice to take me to the dog park so I can take a dip in the Mississippi River. However, when it is so hot and humid, Joan stops taking me on her runs which is a bummer for me because I LOVE TO RUN. But, I do know that I would just get overheated. Joan always can tell that if I start trailing behind her, it is a very bad sign, and then we start walking.

Last week, Joan went took me and my food and bed over to Camp Bosco at Martha's house. I was happy to see her and Boli, the orange tabby cat. I gave Boli a kiss. Then Joan left - I saw her drive away and was a bit worried. But then the fun began. Martha and Miguel would take me to the golf course every night and I would RUN really fast. Then I would also go into the pond and then I smelled kind of bad, so they washed me when we got back to the house.

I also met a nice 9-year old boy who was living next door. He really liked me and went to the golf course with us a few times. However, he tried to call me but I always listened to Martha or Miguel, not the boy. I mean, I don't trust him because I barely know him. The boy who lives behind Martha who is about 3 or 4 is still scared of me because I ran him over (by mistake) last year. Miguel threw a stick for me and I just turned and ran after it and the boy was in my path and I mistakenly knocked him over. oops!

On the second morning, when Martha put my food bowl down, Boli tried to eat my food. He went up to it and started licking and eating my wet food - I was stunned and did not know what to do. I just sat there. Then, Martha moved Boli away and then I could go and eat my food up. The funny thing is that (don't tell Joan) Martha and Miguel overfed me big time! It was great! Miguel would feed me two scoops of food in the morning (usually I get 1.25 cups) and then sometimes, Martha would get up later and feed me again. Ha ha! And then I got dinner, too, and treats. Then Joan returned on Friday and I was SOOOO happy to see her! I jumped up and gave her a kiss!

On Saturday, Joan took me to my dog park again so I could get some exercise and cool down. It was fantastic! We spent about 2 hours there and there were so many people and dogs. Look at this photo of the crowd:

While we were there, someone saw a person swimming down the middle of the River. Then, about 5 minutes later, we saw all sorts of fire engines, police, ambulances on the other side of the river that has an access road. Then the St. Paul Police boat came up and down the river - but by that time, the swimmer must have been way down the river. We never heard what happened but it didn't seem like the man swimming was in trouble but maybe he was.

We spent most of our time with Joan throwing sticks into the river and me retrieving them. I would just do it over and over. I would get out, drop the stick, and then look at Joan, wagging my tail. She would say, "More?" Wag wag. And she'd throw it again.

One time, two dogs were both clutching the same stick. They were both growling. Someone near us said, "That is not good." Then all of a sudden, DOG FIGHT! The german shepherd started biting the other dog on its neck. One man jumped into the water and pushed agains the german shepherd (who wasn't even his dog!) to separate the two dogs. The other dog being attacked was his dog. Finally, they got separated. Joan was happy for me because she knows that I would never do that. If someone else growls at me and wants my stick, I just give it to them, no problem. We saw that man, Gus, later and he actually had been bitten by his own dog in that confusion. He showed us one of the wounds on his side - it was bleeding a bit. He didn't even realize it until he was far away from that area.

We told Gus to go look at the downed tree - every time you go to the dog park, it is different. Like last week, we couldn't even make it to the end of the park. This time, a huge oak tree had fallen down so I went out on it to investigate.

When we got home, Joan gave me a bath outside in the front of the house. I did not mind it since it was cool water and this fur is so thick and hot! Plus, then I for sure won't smell like pondwater anymore.

More recently, it has been raining and thundering. I do not like thunder - I have to run to wherever Joan is so that I feel safe when it happens.

June 13, 2005

Scaredy cat

Sometimes I am a scaredy cat - as Joan calls me. For example, the other day I was freaked out by some noises that Joan could not hear. There was something weird going on in the backyard so had to huddle at Joan's feet while she worked on her computer.

Joan thought me to be acting very strangely as the only other time I huddled under her desk was when there was a guy here using an air compressor to install cabinets. Joan told her friend that if she still lived in California and this happened, she would suspect that we were going to have an earthquake since animals know about earthquakes before they happen! Sometimes they run away or howl really loud - but in my case, had it been an earthquake, I would have been in one of the safest places - under a table. I'm not sure there would have been room for Joan under there, too, but I would have done my best to accommodate her.

June 10, 2005

My couch

A few days ago, some people came over to our house and took away MY couch - the old futon near the windows that I like to sit on when Joan leaves the house (I'm so sneaky!). I did not like these people because two of them were young men, and I am suspicious of men so I barked at them a lot. Plus, they were taking away my furniture - how dare they?!

I don't know what Joan is doing - the only consolation is that now I can walk right up to the front windows in the living room and look outside and keep watch on my yard and the neighborhood. When we had the couch, I would have to run over to the dining room windows to look out (unless Joan wasn't home, then I would just get up on the couch and look out).

Yesterday on an afternoon walk, we ran into Sierra the chocolate lab mix that lives on the block behind us. She had a sock on her foot! At first Joan thought it was a cast but it is not. The pad on her toe came off I guess. Ouch! She did not seem slowed down by it. But it reminded me of when Joan put a sock on my foot when my toenail was bleeding.

Today it is raining so I'm stuck inside for the most part! I can still hear the squirrels outside gurggling at each other.

May 23, 2005

How much do I cost?

You might wonder how much I cost to be part of Joan's family. Well, Joan has been giving it some thought and started to list to me all the costs that I have incurred and that she has happily paid to have me as her friend. This is in the past 2.5 years:

Broken kitchen window (I went wild when I saw a squirrrel and Joan did not have the blinds up on the window). ~free only because Joan is friends with the window restoration guy.

Learned to jump over low fence. ~$150 + a weekend of time - Joan bought and installed an invisible fence.

Jumped against the fence after a squirrel and one of the fence posts that was rotted fell down. ~$40 for post and cement + a day of Joan's time to fix.

Pulled Joan into fence gate and her wool coat ripped. ~$unknown as she has not had it fixed yet. The coat cost $100.

Chewed two of Joan's leather shoes. ~$10 Joan had the shoe guy sew them up a bit. She still wears them as it is unnoticeable.

Broken cabinet door - I backed hard into one of Joan's new cabinet doors and it cracked. ~$unknown as she has not had it fixed. She wonders if it is part of the lifetime warranty (does it exclude dog related breaks?)

Fanny pack. Joan stored dog treats in it for training but she left it out one day and I chewed a hole in it to get the treats. ~$unknown as she has not replaced it yet. (she'll probably just go to the thrift store to get a new one.)

Carpet cleaner - various vomiting incidents. $5

Shower Flip Flops; I have chewed up one of several pairs of flip flops that Joan uses at the gym. - ~$8

Window screens - I tend to rip the one in the back storm door (squirrels again!). $15 + Joan's time to rescreen the window with Pet-proof screen.

Phew, that's all that I can think of. I don't think that is all that bad, considering what a great dog friend I am!!

May 12, 2005

The Couch

Last night Joan came home and she was not feeling well. She un-enthusiastically took me for a walk because she knows I need it, but I could tell she was not her usual self. When we returned home, she laid down on the couch and took a rest.
While her eyes were closed, I snuck up onto *my* couch, the old futon near the windows that no one ever sits on. She did not wake up when I got up on it - phew! But then a while later, she opened her eyes and saw that I was on the couch opposite her, curled up all cozy. I really did not want to move, so I just sat tight to see what she would do. She said, "Oh Bosco." Since she did not reprimand me, I just stayed on the couch. She didn't seem to care much. When she finally got up, she came over and even petted me while I was on the couch. I know she ordered new furniture for this area, so I guess she doesn't care if I go up on it!! However, to play it safe, for the rest of the evening while she was up and about, when I wanted to lie down, I just used my bed on the floor.

May 8, 2005

Wood chips

This weekend, I was on a leash watching Joan move tons and tons of wood chips from the street into her garden. I got to lay down and relax while she was working really hard, though I have to say there are a lot more wood chips now for me to run through and the occasional large chip that I can chew on.

Unfortunately, Joan washed me tonight. And then she saw it - my inflammed golf ball size area near my leg. It wasn't there this morning and this is why she was so suprised and scared. What is it? I'm not worried about it, but she called the UM Vet Emergency to see if she needed to bring me in. They told her to do hot compresses on it every few hours until tomorrow when guess what - I have to go to the vet again. Eeks! I heard Joan on the phone with her mom say that I might need to wear a cone because they are going to lance this to drain it. That would be ghastly. Well, you'll be the first to find out ... stay tuned.

Oh, the other thing that happened was that Joan and I walked over to the new coffee shop this morning and she got some tea and croissant while I sat and waited for her. As she enjoyed her breakfast - almost everyone who walked by said I was very pretty etc. (I bet they wouldn't say that if I had a cone on!!) Then they'd ask if they could pet me - meanwhile - I heard this and saw them coming near me, so everytime I would back up and wedge myself under the chair -- some of them STILL tried to pet me! Does it seem like I want to be petted if I'm shoving my body under a chair?

April 21, 2005

Bosco-Joan similarities

I think it is funny how Joan and I are the same in our looks. I don't mean she is brown and furry - she is actually nearly albino since she lives in such a northern climate! But I mean our youthful looks. A few days ago, a man on a bike yelled out to me (and Joan), "What a beautiful puppy!" First, I have to say that I am delighted that I get compliments and that I make people smile. When we go on walks, some of the people that walk by look at me and say how pretty I am or they just smile at me. But, back to my topic, these people also think I am a puppy! I am over 4 years old!!! They might make this mistake because I am so energetic or because I am on the small side (50 lbs). Usually, people don't notice that I'm part doberman and a full-bred chocolate lab would be larger than I am. So they think I'm young! When Joan says I'm 4, they think 4 months! Ha ha.

My point, though, is that Joan is also mistaken to be younger than she actually is. On her way out to visit her parents who live near a university, she told me how someone on the plane asked her if she was a college student. She was laughing hard - because she actually is a university professor. Ha ha!!! So I think she and I can relate each other about our youthful looks. We don't mind though!

It would be funny to imagine Joan with brown fur all over her and a tail! Then we'd really be similar!

April 18, 2005

Sunday, sunday.

Sunday was great. I'm so glad Joan is home. She spent most of the day outside, cleaning the yard - raking up a lot of leaves in the planting beds. Accordingly, I also spent the whole day outside with her! I was lounging in the sun and grass, on my back, side, tummy etc. while she worked away. Tim saw me and gave me a treat from his pocket - that guy! I wag my tail so hard when I see him because he always brings me treats. To think, I used to be scared of him!

In the afternoon, after our walk, I went into the yard and there was a squirrel on the fence. I quickly ran after it and jumped after up, up onto the fence. Then it went over toward the garage, and I kept jumping up on the fence. Then the fence post moved forward and the gate came unlatched...I could have escaped into the alley, but I didn't. Then Joan went over to examine the fence and now she has to add another "to-do" on her long list of chores. All because of me. Ha ha.

We were both so tired after our long day outside, we took naps. However, I kept hearing things outside and had to run over to the window to see what was going on outside. On the way back to my bed, I'd go over and sniff Joan but I did not lick her - I just let her sleep. It is interesting how tired I get when I don't sleep all day, like I usually do when Joan is at work.

THEN, last night I was sleeping downstairs like usual. But in the middle of the night, really loud thunder and bright lightning started. I was very scared, so I went up to Joan's bedroom. She heard me and put out her hand to pet me on the head. Then I slept in her room for the rest of the night until around 5 am when one of my ears starting itching me a ton, and I kept shaking my head and scratching my ear. I woke Joan up. I guess it wasn't her best night of sleep. She cleaned my ear again and all is well.

April 15, 2005

Another Interesting Week

I have missed Joan this week. Boy oh boy, on Monday - actually, on Sunday I knew something was up when that zipper box on wheels - which she refers to as a suitcase - came out. I went up the stairs in my usual exuberant way and then, I saw IT! I sniffed it and then walked slowly into the bedroom where there was another ONE. I got sad then because I knew Joan was going away.

So Joan got up very early - so early on Monday that I didn't even want to be up, and she even took me on a walk at 4:30 AM! You know me, though, if a walk is involved then I'm game. Then she left :-(

However, Doris came over and let me out at lunchtime and then Ellen came over later to take me to her house that I went to last week. Ah ha! Now I know why we went over there. I thought Joan just wanted me to be friends with a new cat. I was very scared at first - I don't know Ellen all that much and then her apartment and area is unfamilar to me, and there are kids around, and they sometimes scare me because they move so fast. But as the days went along, I started to feel a bit better. Ellen and Katie's cat wasn't too happy about me being there, but I just stayed out of its way as best I could.

Today, Ellen put me in the car and drove me back home. I was SOOOOO excited, bouncing up and down so happy to return to my beloved home. BUT Joan was not here, but I felt pretty safe anyway because I knew she'd be here soon enough. And she is here now!!! I licked her a few times to let her know how I felt and she pet me and gave me a few treats. So much emotion in one week's time that I'm knackered. Guess I'll retire now - you can bet I'll sleep up in Joan's room again - I don't want to risk her leaving again....

April 2, 2005

The backyard

I haven't posted a picture of myself lately, and this morning Joan caught me up to my old tricks - chewing on sticks. Hey, I'm a retriever - when I get excited the first thing I do is look for something to get and bring back to you.

March 26, 2005

Unwelcome visitor

Today I had an unwelcome visitor in my house kingdom. Late in the afternoon, Joan picked up a leash - I immediately thought we were going to go on another walk. Instead, she went out the front door in her slippers. I watched what happened through the windows....there were two young kids trying to get this yellow dog to come to them. It was running around crazy and into the street. Then the neighbor from two doors' down and her 2 year old came out to the street to see what was going on. Joan walked out and asked if they needed a leash. As soon as she held up the leash, the yellow dog ran to her and she leashed her up. She had dog tags on but the number was 952 area code - she wondered how this dog ended up in Minneapolis. Meanwhile, I am going crazy. I mean - how dare she bring a dog near the house with one of my leashes!!!! I was barking like mad. Then she came inside to get the phone after she tied the dog to the front steps. She called but no one was home. She wasn't going to give the dog to the little boys and the neighbor doesn't have dogs...so she decided to bring this dog into MY HOUSE.

She came inside and put the fence up between the kitchen and dining room and left me in the dining room side. Then she walked the yellow dog around back and brought her into the kitchen. Then she opened up the fence, but I did not want this dog in my house. So my lips went up, showing my powerful teeth and I growled. The yellow dog just ran around the house and then Joan put the fence back up separating us. I still went up to the fence and gritted my teeth at the yellow dog. After about a half an hour with no phone call return from the owners, Joan realized that she couldn't keep both of us here overnight in the same house (thanks to my gritting teeth, ah ha!). So she called Mpls Animal Control who picks up loose dogs. John, the animal control officer, came within about 15 minutes and I had my house entirely back to myself. phew. I think I've made it clear what I think about having a new dog in our family - no!

Later tonight Joan got a phone call from the owner and said they had the dog back. They were visiting someone one block away and their dog got through a broken part of the fence! I was so exhausted from gritting my teeth and the two long walks Joan and I went on today that I just zonked out!

February 19, 2005

Tough week

This week has been pretty tough for me. I've been alone too much for my comfort. Joan would come home from work and then go out again to dinner for various work-related activities. The only night this didn't happen was on Thursday and that night she went swimming, so she left me again! I was very lonely - I like her to be with me at all times. So then, when she returned I would lick her and nudge her so she would pet me constantly. I really wish she would let me snuggle with her on the couch. Speaking of that, since she ditched me in the evening, I decided that the velvet couch was fair game for me...it is quite cozy.

This morning she played with me for a bit - here is a picture of me with my fourth favorite toy, the rope. The rope is fourth to the green neon bone, the purple bone toy, and the purple ball. I prefer the purple ball the best. The purple bone, too, except that some dog at the dog park ripped it open so now it doesn't squeak. The green neon bone squeaks, so I like that too. I was playing with the rope because the green neon bone was upstairs, the purple ball was under the couch where I could not get it, and the purple bone is in the car for trips to the dog park! I also have a small pink ball but I really like the purple ball better because it is bigger and squeakier.

Some other interesting things happened in the last week on our walks but I'll write about those later on.

February 11, 2005

I'm just warming up the couch for her...

Joan went out after my dinner last night. Since she had left, I was compelled to snuggle up on the velvet daybed with the blankets that she left. I like it much better than my own bed on the floor. As usual, I usually know that I won't get caught because I jump down before she comes into the room (unless she surprises me by coming through the front door). In any case, last night she returned home and, after letting me out in the backyard, headed to the living room and went to sit down on the daybed/couch. What she immediately realized was that I had warmed it up for her. The spot where she usually sits, was all warm from me having been there. Shoot, I got caught again! She would never have known had she just made her dinner and let the couch "cool off."

On another note, she took me to the vet on my walk last night. I hate that place so much I try to pull my hardest by it (never works). And then, as soon as I enter, I start shaking all over. There was a cat in a cage and two scary people sitting in chairs and that nurse who seems pleasant but.... Luckily, she just made me sit on this black floor area, and then she told me I was 45.8 lbs. Some people think I'm too skinny. Joan feeds me this really good food and even gives me extra now because some people think I'm skinny, but the vet says I am just fine. I prefer to be slim like I am as compared to the pure-bred labs that get to be 100 lbs! I can tell you, though, that I'm always on the lookout for food - a very lab-like characteristic! The other day I tried my hardest to get a half hot-dog bun that was in someone's yard behind a fence. Joan got me to continue walking but I would have appreciated the extra snack. I can tell you that I always know when Joan gets ham out to make a sandwich. Instantly, I'm in the kitchen, up on hind legs, seeing what going on on the countertop!

February 8, 2005

I break the rules sometimes...and get caught!

Today Joan was working at home this morning on her computer. She doesn't like me walking in and out of her office constantly, so she usually closes the door and doesn't let me in while she's working. Well, she was in there for quite some time, and I thought, "She's not paying attention to me, so I'm not going to pay attention to her rules." So quick as can be, I jumped up and curled up into a ball on the couch. She knows that I go up on the couch while she is not here because sometimes I leave things I bring over there like her running shoe or a glove and, most notably, dog fur. But she can't do anything about it because she never catches me on the couch! I hear her unlock the door, and I jump down and act innocently even though the couch is warm and full of fur.

In any case, today I did not hear her come out of her office and all of the sudden, there she was, standing in the living room staring at me -- a brown curled up doggie ON THE COUCH! Oops. Since I was already caught, I decided to just stay put until she started reprimanding me. So, I got up and slinked off the couch and put on my best innocent act and the look of "I didn't really do anything wrong." She was pointing at my dog bed telling me that was the appropriate place for me. I understand that, but I rather like the couch! It is warm and near the windows so I can pop my head up and see anything that is going on in front of my territory.

In the end, Joan finally started petting me and admitted that I do look very cute curled up on the couch. Plus, I know that she hates that futon anyway, so she really doesn't care if I'm on it - it's just an issue of precedent. If she willingly lets me go on the couch, then I might think I can also go on a new couch or chair or bed....

The funniest thing is that Joan is at work right now and guess where I am? Working on the computer on the couch! Ha ha ha.

January 12, 2005

Travel is not advised without me

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. Joan did her thing of packing up a suitcase and leaving me for another week. I hate it when she does that! And she had already left a week before that. Everytime I see that suitcase filled with stuff, I sniff it and realize she is going to leave me for a while. Then I start following her around endlessly because really, I would like to go with her. But alas, last week, I saw the suitcase. She was leaving so Joan took me with her but all we did was go to the post office. But then we came back home and she left with that suitcase out the front door. I was up on the couch instantly watching her walk away from the house. Oh, please don't go!!

But then a few hours later, I was saved when Roberta came over to stay with me. The problem is I miss Joan so much that I bug Roberta quite a bit. I always want her to pet me and nudge her. (Over Christmas I spilled a glass of wine on Roberta when I jumped up on her lap. She was NOT happy with me and neither was Joan!) Joan said if I keep acting like that, no one will want to stay with me and I'll have to go to a kennel - and I remember that bad place from when my former owners abandoned me to it. Actually, it was okay, but I was just scared and lonely so I would just curl into a ball in my kennel.

Yesterday I got to go to the local dog park to play fetch with Joan with my favorite purple plastic dog bone/bar bell toy. Twice I had to get kind of angry with other dogs. They were both small dogs that yipp a lot. I do not like them, so I had to growl and make scary sounds. Those other dog owners did not like me doing that, so Joan said we had to go. But I was fetching my ball just great when those little dogs did not bug me. And, I even was returning the ball to Joan because there was another dog who kept stealing my ball from me. So if I got a hold of it, I brought it directly back to Joan instead of just dropping it - b/c the other dog would steal it then.

December 13, 2004

Comparing Decembers

Last year at this time of the year, Joan had some guy doing work in the kitchen. I don't know why she needed to remove everything and put new stuff back in there - everything was working fine in terms of me getting food and water, so she's crazy. But this guy was crazier because he had what Joan called an "air compressor" and it was very loud. I hated it so much that I sought refuge under Joan's desk where she was trying to work. I was shaking and drooling because I was so scared. See the picture below.

That was last year!!! Now on to this year. On Saturday, Joan came home from being away from me (I don't know why she must leave) but she got to the door and let me out into the yard. As I stepped out onto the stoop and turned to race down the stairs, I saw this big green thing propped against the house and you know me, I am afraid of new things - especially if they are tall and green and in my "space". I cautiously approached it and smelled it and it smelled much like a tree but did not look like one. It was very narrow and had this plastic netting around it. Weird. In any case, enough for me to ignore it and run around like a maniac in the yard. Joan and I went on a walk and then she got out a saw and started sawing on this tree. Usually, I would just pee on it. This is a weird thing to cut its trunk. Whatever. Then she propped the door and actually brought it into the house and into my living room area, near my bed. What!?

In a few minutes it was up in a stand and I still wasn't sure what to make of it. She gave it some water and then just left it there for a day. I didn't bother it.

New day: But then the following day she actually plugged in these lights and strung them all over and then put ornaments on it. This was occuring all while I just lay on my bed slightly sleeping but also keeping an eye on her. She put everything away and was sitting on the couch looking at it, so I got up and walked over (my chance to investigate this further while Joan is very nearby so I don't get too scared.) You won't believe it! She put things on this tree that I might like to eat later. I was sniffing around and there right at my level was a string of pretzels with a bow on it. I know it was because I sniffed it and licked it. Oops - she must have seen because then she moved it higher up. I'll have to investigate whether I can get it when she is not here.

This morning she went and moved another ornament after I sniffed it. It was a bunch of cinnamon sticks wrapped with a bow...sure enough she saw me sniff it and then walked over and moved it higher in the tree. Bummer - I was just waiting for her to leave for work so I could investigate all of these edible things in more depth. No need to go to the kitchen to find stuff - it's all here right near my bed.

This is way cooler than last December. The tree is quiet and has interesting, smelly things on it. Cool!!!

November 17, 2004

Napkins, napkins, anyone?

Joan left me at home while she went swimming last night and then she went out afterwards and left me home too long alone (in my skewed opinion - I like her around at all times!). In any case, I got bored again and decided that the cloth napkins that were on the table smelled interesting. Joan's napkin smelled like Joan and I always like that, so I took that and brought it over to my bed. I also smelled Martha's napkin (from the dinner this weekend) and it had smells of pancetta and lamb and veges so I took that one too. Lucky for Joan, I did not rip them up or anything - I just smelled them and probably licked them and then just left them in my kingdom (the floor).
I really like to find something that Joan has last touched before leaving to bring over to my bed while she is gone. It makes me feel calmer. Often I move her shoes around. Unfortunately, sometimes it gives away where I've been hanging out - like when Joan arrives home and her running shoe is on the couch! Oops - yep I was up there sleeping and forgot to remove the "evidence". I guess I'm not that smart!